State pathologist: Susan Rohde's suicide was staged

12 October 2017 - 12:50
By Anthony Molyneaux
State expert witness Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan takes the stand in the murder trial of Jason Rohde.
Image: Anthony Molyneaux State expert witness Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan takes the stand in the murder trial of Jason Rohde.

The state's forensic pathologist Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan told the Cape Town high court on Thursday that Susan Rohde's suicide was staged.

WATCH | State forensic pathologist says Susan's death was a staged suicide

She was found hanging in the bathroom of the hotel suite she shared with her husband Jason Rohde in July 2016. While he claims she was found hanging from an electric cord attached to a hook mounted to the door‚ the state believes otherwise.

After examining the body‚ Coetzee-Khan deduced that it was a ''staged hanging".

The defence claims Rohde had struggled to open the bathroom door. Only with the help of a hotel employee did he manage to open it.

The case continues.