Sotheby’s boss’s bail application to continue

Argument is to be presented in court on whether the alleged murder of Susan Rohde, wife of Sotheby’s International Realty boss Jason, was premeditated or not.

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Stellenbosch – Argument is to be presented in court on Friday on whether the alleged murder of Susan Rohde, wife of Sotheby’s International Realty boss Jason Rohde, was premeditated or not.

The mother of three was found dead in the bathroom of the couple’s hotel room at the Spier Estate near Stellenbosch, where they had been attending a Sotheby’s function last month.

A private autopsy, arranged by the family, revealed that she had committed suicide, but this was contradicted by a subsequent State post-mortem examination that said she had been strangled, and therefore murdered.

Jason Rohde was arrested this week.

A bail hearing was heard in the Stellenbosch District Court before magistrate Greg Jacobs.

At Thursday’s proceedings, State advocate Carien Teunissen requested that Rohde be remanded for seven days to enable the authorities to probe his background in order to decide whether to release him on bail, or oppose his bail application.

The six-man defence team, led by advocate Peter Mihalik, opposed the requested remand and pointed out that the State was not entitled, without further ado, to such a remand.

He said the court had a discretion to grant or refuse the remand.

The defence contended that if indeed the deceased was murdered, it was not premeditated.

If premeditated, Rohde would have to satisfy the court that there were substantial and compelling circumstances justifying his release on bail.

If the alleged murder happened in the heat of an argument, and was not premeditated, Rohde merely had to satisfy the court that his release on bail was in the interests of justice.

Mihalik said his client was worth R30 million, and thus “very wealthy”, and could afford whatever amount was set by the court.

African News Agency