Electronic trail key to high-profile murder trial

The dramatic Jayde Panayiotou murder trial has brought into sharp focus the crucial role that technology plays in determining the whereabouts of key suspects. Legalbrief reports that prosecutors have drawn heavily on cell phone and banking records as well as vehicle tracking data to establish the trail that was left by murder accused Christopher Panayiotou and his alleged accomplices. The Port Elizabeth businessman is charged with orchestrating his wife’s murder along with the alleged triggerman, Sizwezakhe Vumazonke (who subsequently died) and his alleged accomplices, Sinethemba Nenembe and Zolani Sibeko. A Nedbank manager was grilled by Panayiotou’s lawyers who pushed her to confirm she had provided the businessman with confidential information on his wife’s bank account the day she went missing. Estelle Burger, who oversaw the Panayiotou business finances, last week testified in the Eastern Cape High Court. A report on the IoL site notes that Burger’s testimony related to the time in which Jayde’s family realised money had been withdrawn from her Nedbank account on the day she disappeared. The withdrawal was later traced to an ATM in Kwanobuhle near Uitenhage. Advocate Terry Price, for the defence, claimed Panayiotou had in his possession Jayde’s pin and username details to log into Jayde’s Internet banking account. The defence claimed that Burger felt sorry for Panayiotou and gave him the information. On several occasions she disputed this, claiming she was not authorised to do so. It emerged that Burger had called the businessman six times on the day Jayde disappeared. A total of 14 calls were recorded between Burger and Panayiotou on 21 April last year. A report on the News24 site notes that the court yesterday (Tuesday) heard that somebody withdrew R3 500 from Jayde’s bank account the day she was killed. Nedbank’s Johannes Thomas said an unsuccessful attempt to withdraw R3 000 was made at 7.25am at a Nedbank ATM at the Picardi centre in KwaNobuhle, near Uitenhage. Another attempt with a different card was recorded at 7.26am and also declined. But by lowering the amounts requested and using different ATMs, the person using her cards managed to withdraw R3 500 in three separate transactions. Two were for R1 500 and one was for R500.

Full IoL report

Full Fin24 report