Estate agency CEO leaves for Cape to face charges for wife's death

23 August 2016 - 17:16 By Shaun Smillie

With a jacket draped over his head‚ Jason Rohde on Tuesday afternoon began his journey to Stellenbosch where he will face charges relating to the alleged murder of his wife Susan.Rohde‚ the CEO of Geffen International Realty Franchises‚ left the Randburg police station in an unmarked bakkie together with the two officers who had traveled up to Gauteng to arrest him.According to his attorney Daniel Witz‚ it was decided that he would appear in court in Stellenbosch.Witz said that Rohde was arrested at 6.30 this morning. This was despite an agreement that he would hand himself in if police wanted to arrest him."Mr Rohde answered the ringing door and there were the two arresting officers and eight or nine police officers‚" said Witz.His three children are now in the care of their grandparents‚ the attorney added.Witz said that there wasn't an arrest warrant‚ but a letter from the directorate of public prosecutions in the Western Cape. This letter said that Rohde had to be arrested. He hinted that they would be challenging this when he applied for bail‚ most likely on Thursday.Susan Rohde's body was found in a bathroom at Spier wine estate in Stellenbosch on July 24.She had accompanied Jason to a company function and they stayed over at the estate. He had allegedly raised the alarm when he could not open their bathroom door.Initially it was thought she had committed suicide but police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said an inquest docket was opened and their investigation changed to murder after a post mortem was performed.- TMG Digital/The Times..

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