South Africa - Susan Rohde, 47, murdered, Stellenbosch, 24 July 2016

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Defence: "Mr Rohde flew down specially to Cape Town to give a demonstration and to take you as IO through events that happened at Spier and to point out where they happened, and he was denied that opportunity."

Investigating officer says that Rohde's attorney said at the time that nothing further was going to be pointed out and they will supply him with a statement. "And I am still waiting for that statement up until today."

Defence asks why it was necessary to arrest Jason in early hours of morning at his home with his young children nearby, when he had been cooperative. IO says he received a tip-off that Jason was planning to leave the country and he wanted to act quickly.

Defence: Jason was cooperative and handed over passports, laptop and insurance policies he had. His arrest came as huge surprise because he agreed he would come in at any time if needed.

Defence to IO: When Jason asked why you were arresting him suddenly at home, you said "Tell Mihalik [lawyer] I don’t make arrests on fu*king appointment”. IO disputes that. Defence: Of course you would.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Defence claims Jason was taken from Randburg to Linden police station, where lots of press waited with cameras. Spent hours in cuffs because they couldn't find key. Held at Stellenbosch SAPS for 7 days, no toilet paper, toothbrush, shower. IO disputes this.

Defence now questioning IO on the day of the autopsy and what he told Dr Khan. "Dr Khan says you told him there was no medical history [of Susan's] to note". IO: "I told him: not to my knowledge".

Defence to IO: You said you received info from unnamed person that Rohde was on the verge of leaving the country. "Was it anonymous person or do you know person but don't want to tell us?"

IO says he was in Randburg guesthouse when he got a call from a person who asked that name be withheld. Just said Jason was planning to leave country. Can't remember if man or woman. Defence says this is another story he "sucked out his thumb".

Defence: Did you investigate whether any plans had been made for Mr Rohde to skip the country, like booking flights? IO: No. Defence: You ever find one iota of evidence to this effect? IO: No, I never investigated that or found info to that effect.

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Defence: An outrageous suggestion was made that Susan was suffering at Jason's hands from 'battered wife syndrome'. Is there any history or indication she was a battered wife? IO: Correct, no indication of assault or battered intimate partner syndrome.

Defence: Domestic worker also said she had not witnessed abuse in Rohde family. IO- I checked for sign of assault or a history. I couldn't find anything and that is why I made no mention of that in any statements.

Defence says IO should have made statement that he found no signs of Jason abusing his wife Susan. Especially because autopsy noted bruises on her thigh that were about a week old.

Defence: You wanted to have case enrolled after Jason's arrest on 23 August 2016 in Randburg Magistrate's Court but this was refused because you didn't produce valid arrest warrant. IO: That is correct. Wanted postponement so I could go back to Stellenbosch.

Defence: At a certain stage, you applied for search warrant for Jason's offices? IO: Correct, on basis of murder case. Defence: When did Dr Khan advise police to open murder case? IO: I cannot tell the court with certainty.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]
 
Defence: You said in statement that Dr Khan advised police to open murder docket after inspecting body at the scene. IO: I can't remember. I will have to sit down and think about it. Defence: You are shifting evidence. A moment ago you said you couldn't say.

Defence: In an affidavit you said information regarding Jason's "intentions with his late wife" are being kept in his Craighall office on cellphones and computers. "That sounds like some pre-planning, some plot that was being hatched".

Defence: What reasons did you have for believing he was keeping information about a murder plot at his office? You had no reason to suspect or believe that. Affidavit has to contain truth. On the strength of that, magistrate granted a search warrant.

Defence: You had no basis to say information on a murder plot would be found on Jason's computer. It was a mere suspicion. You are an experienced policeman and you told a magistrate that. You didn't find anything but you didn't put that in statement.

Defence: Did you look at Rohde insurance policy that were sent to you? IO: I can't remember but surely would have gone through it. With any murder, insurance company sends us form to complete.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]
 
Defence: Why would you want to look at insurance policy? IO: To see the value of the policy and to see how long before the murder it was taken out. I would look at the intention, who took it out and who is beneficiary. And conditions of policy.

IO: I can't say how long before Susan's death the insurance policy was taken out but it will be in docket. I think it was worth R1m or R2m. And I think Mr Rohde was beneficiary but speak under correction. I was working with over 100 documents in docket.

Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe says Jason has not been charged with pre-meditated murder. Defence says questions during cross-exam speak to IO's credibility and what he said in affidavits. Says IO can't remember a thing. He is not allowed to cherry pick evidence.

Defence: The insurance policy was taken out less than two years before Susan's death and had the customary suicide exclusion clause. If she were to commit suicide, the policy would not pay out". IO says he can't dispute this.

Defence: During Rohde's bail application, you said he needed to be kept in custody because money was being moved out of the country. IO: After my investigations, I could not find any evidence of this. I made no mention of this in any statements.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]
 
Defence: You also suggested he might not be a SA citizen. IO: If I remember, I think he applied for dual citizenship in Australia. He first had to apply here before he could apply there. Also probed that "he came in illegally from UK". Nothing found.

Defence: Who gave permission for bathroom door to be removed from Spier? IO: I gave instruction because it because it was an exhibit. Defence takes issue with this.

Defence turns to Jason waiting at Stellenbosch police station for two hours for district surgeon examination, only for it to never happen "and for evidence to be irretrievably lost". IO says he can't say why examination never happened.

Defence: This pink bag you referred to is actually Jason's bag, my client tells me. IO: There were female clothes inside there. Defence: It depends who packs it. What we are missing is Susan's handbag and a vanity case. What has happened to these?

IO says that any items that were not relevant were handed to Jason's attorney at the time. Valuable items were recorded. Other items left at the locked scene. On the day of the incident, nothing was removed from the scene. Police did not remove Susan's bags.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]
 
Defence says they have been looking for Susan's handbag, its contents and vanity case for a long time. "She had a diary she kept in her handbag. We were told no diary was found".

Defence says Susan started keeping a diary in her handbag after finding out about her husband's affair with Jolene in 2016. Wants to know how police could say no diary was found in bag if they never had record of the bag in the first place.

IO tells defence that they normally keep inventory of items taken from a scene. Rohde's attorney asked if he could get Susan's belongings and said he would tell the court he received them. No one imagined he would be murdered before then.

Defence: My client says Susan's missing handbag had wallets, credit cards, cards, perfume & small soft-skin leather diary with elastic band. Vanity bag contained cosmetics. Wants IO to show note saying he found nothing important in bag. IO doesn't have this.

Defence says Jason's first attorney was murdered on 7 November. Believes IO had more than enough time for his attorney to sign a document saying he received Susan's belongings from police.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]
 
Investigating officer, Sergeant Marlon Appollis, is excused from the stand after lunch. State's case is now closed.

Defence says it will meet with State next week to ensure all exhibits are coordinated and numbered correctly. Asks for a postponement until end of May so they can prepare their case.

Defence says the state had a list of 76 witnesses and supplemented with 2 further witnesses. Approx. 16 witnesses were called. Have found forensic experts to consult with.

Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe postpones case until 28 May so defence can prepare case and Rohde can consult with his lawyers and also "get rest". His bail is extended.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]

The constant delays are so infuriating. OISA
 
It's starting to look like this was a witch hunt by the authorities against JR. I'm starting to think he might in fact be innocent....
 
Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) | Twitter

Defense is presenting its case today. Advocate Graham Van der Spuy says his first witness will be the accused.

Rohde now taking the stand. Dressed in black suite, tie and white shirt. He appears calm.

Rohde says he was born in the UK and moved to SA when he was a toddler. He says his parents divorced when he was an infant.

After divorce he had no further contact with his biological father. Mom remarried and he was the adopted by his mother's husband.
 
Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) | Twitter

He says he met Susan in 1989 at a party and they married in 1993 and subsequently moved to Australia, Perth, with Susan's parents.

Found a job at property development company in Australia. He was a property consultant helped clients build and design homes.

Rohde says he returned to SA in 1996/7. "I missed my friends. Wife was initially reluctant but she could see I wasn't entirely happy," he says.

Rohde says he went back to the property business. The couple would buy, renovate and rent property.
 
Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) | Twitter

2005 joined Sotherby's and was in control of Joburg north area. He was subsequently promoted to CEO position for the company.

The CEO position ended when Susan died.

"Susan and I were childhood sweethearts. We were different in many ways but similar in others. Susan was a perfectionist," says Rohde.

Rohde says his wife was confrontational nd got to root of problems while he avoided things. Shy away from problems.


Judge Gayaat Salie-Samuels is married to the Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court.

Sound dropped out for a few minutes and quality has now gone down.
 
Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) | Twitter

"I don't like confrontation, I try and avoid it," he says.

"We had a good marriage. We had our ups and downs and rocky incidents, but I can't tell you I had 23 years of bad marriage,"says Rohde.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter

Jason: We were not always very financially comfortable. We had to build what we had from scratch. We never inherited or were given money. We weren't extravagant people. Lived in a nice house and could afford nice things but weren't flashy people.

Jason: We had our ups and downs like any marriage would have. We could get into some awful verbal altercations. We were both to blame. Never once did I physically attack, strike or strangle my wife ever.
 
Jason: We would try not to argue in front of our children. As a person, I don’t like confrontation in my marriage but also in work. Anyone who knows you will tell you that I just don’t like it.

Jason: I would say we did have a good marriage, we had our ups and downs, our rockiness. Can’t stand and tell you I had a bad 23 years of marriage.

Jason met colleague Jolene Alterskye in 2013. At a work dinner two years later, he realised he was physically attracted to her.

Jason: At the end of 2015, I messaged Jolene and three weeks later, invited her out for a drink when I was in Cape Town. Our relationship developed on a physical, intimate level towards the end of the year.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
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