Magistrate allows murder-accused Rohde to return home to daughters in Joburg

23 September 2016 - 13:36 By Aron Hyman

Murder-accused real estate boss Jason Rohde was granted permission on Friday by the Stellenbosch Magistrates’ Court to return to his home in Johannesburg. The Geffen International Realty CEO said in an affidavit that he needed to return home to support his three daughters. He stands accused of allegedly killing their mother‚ Susan‚ in July.Her body was found in the bathroom of their hotel room at the Spier wine estate in Stellenbosch‚ with the cord of a hair-straightening iron around her neck.Magistrate Greg Jacobs upheld his bail conditions‚ which compel him to report to a police station near his home. He was released on bail of R100 000 and had to provide the court with a surety guarantee of R1-million.There was also a discrepancy in his SA passport‚ which said he was born in South Africa‚ but National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said he was born in England.State prosecutor Carien Theunissen said Home Affairs "may need to intervene" because he may still be a flight risk.During a previous appearance‚ his lawyer‚ Daniel Witz‚ asked for arrangements to be made so that Rohde could see his daughters.“Each of them is coping through the memories and special bonds they all shared with Susan‚ and his eldest daughter is bravely facing the remainder of her matric year despite this tragedy‚” he said.Police changed the cause of death from suicide to murder following a pathology report which determined that the mechanism of death was allegedly “manual strangulation”‚ The Times reported previously.The Sunday Times reported that an alleged extramarital relationship with a Cape Town estate agent formed part of the police investigation into Susan’s murder.She reportedly appointed lawyer Leon van der Merwe to "protect her interests" and has made a statement to police.Rohde previously said in an affidavit before the court that he and his wife had marital problems and she had seen a marriage counsellor who felt that she "could be a suicide risk”.– TMG Digital/The Times..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.