Rohde’s R100K bail paid in cold, hard cash

Jason Rohde's wife, Susan, was found dead in the couple's hotel room at the Spier Wine Estate. Picture: Jeffrey Abrahams

Jason Rohde's wife, Susan, was found dead in the couple's hotel room at the Spier Wine Estate. Picture: Jeffrey Abrahams

Published Aug 31, 2016

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Cape Town - Property mogul Jason Rohde paid his R100 000 bail in cold, hard cash and within 20 minutes of the order being granted at the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The amount was paid 10 minutes before 3pm and officials immediately rushed off to bank the staggering sum, while police arranged for Rohde to be released.

The bail receipt recorded Rohde’s attorney and spokesman Tony Mostert handed over the amount to cashiers at the court.

An additional R1 million surety must be put up in two weeks.

Rohde was arrested last week and faces a murder charge for allegedly killing his wife Susan during a Sotheby’s Realty function at Spier wine estate last month.

However, the now-suspended national chief executive of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty has denied any involvement in her death.

He claims she committed suicide and has armed himself with the opinion of an independent pathologist who found his wife’s death was consistent with suicide.

Meanwhile, the State has gathered evidence which allegedly shows injuries were inflicted to Susan Rohde’s neck after she had been strangled and smothered to death.

Investigators are also waiting for the results of a blood splatter investigation, DNA tests and an analysis of the couple’s cellphones.

In terms of an agreement between State advocate Carien Teunissen and the defence team led by advocates Peter Mihalik and Ross McKernan, Rhode had to pay R100 000 cash immediately, to secure his release from police custody, and furnish the court’s administration with a commercial bank guarantee for the remaining R1 million.

Police are also in possession of the Rohde family laptop.

Rohde has been in custody since August 23.

He made his first court appearance last Thursday, when the State requested time to determine whether or not it opposed his release on bail.

Magistrate Greg Jacobs granted the prosecution a small indulgence until on Tuesday.

When the case returned to court, the magistrate was informed the State did not oppose Rohde’s release.

After Rohde’s legal team indicated he was worth R30m, bail was set R100 000 and the accused was asked to put up an additional R1m surety in the form of a bank guarantee by September 14.

Rohde will not be under house arrest, but a probation officer will monitor him, and he has been confined to the Western Cape.

He is expected to live with his brother-in-law near Melkbosstrand until his next court appearance on September 23.

On that date, the State will reveal its attitude towards him returning to his home in Bryanston.

In the interim, he has to report to Melkbosstrand police three times a week.

He has been given strict instructions to refrain from communicating with State witnesses.

Outside court, Mostert addressed the media, saying he wanted to make it clear Rohde was detained without good reason for almost a week.

Mostert was referring to submissions made to the court last week that Rohde had been arrested without a warrant.

He said it was unnecessary for Rohde to have been put through the trauma of being driven to Cape Town when they had an arrangement he would hand himself over wherever he was needed.

Mostert also said on Tuesday it was “regretful” the State’s post mortem report was leaked to the media when the defence did not have access to it.

Had the veracity of the information been established, the media would have found he is a well-respected man and loving father, the statement read.

“Mr Rohde’s innocence and constitutional rights will be vigorously defended,” the statement said further. The case returns to court on September 23.

Rohde has been in custody since August 23.

He made his first court appearance last Thursday, when the State requested time to determine whether or not it opposed his release on bail.

Magistrate Greg Jacobs granted the prosecution a small indulgence until on Tuesday.

When the case returned to court, the magistrate was informed the State did not oppose Rohde’s release.

After Rohde’s legal team indicated he was worth R30m, bail was set R100 000 and the accused was asked to put up an additional R1m surety in the form of a bank guarantee by September 14.

Rohde will not be under house arrest, but a probation officer will monitor him, and he has been confined to the Western Cape.

He is expected to live with his brother-in-law near Melkbosstrand until his next court appearance on September 23.

On that date, the State will reveal its attitude towards him returning to his home in Bryanston.

In the interim, he has to report to Melkbosstrand police three times a week.

He has been given strict instructions to refrain from communicating with State witnesses.

Outside court, Mostert addressed the media, saying he wanted to make it clear Rohde was detained without good reason for almost a week.

Mostert was referring to submissions made to the court last week that Rohde had been arrested without a warrant.

He said it was unnecessary for Rohde to have been put through the trauma of being driven to Cape Town when they had an arrangement he would hand himself over wherever he was needed.

Mostert also said on Tuesday it was “regretful” the State’s post mortem report was leaked to the media when the defence did not have access to it.

Had the veracity of the information been established, the media would have found he is a well-respected man and loving father, the statement read.

“Mr Rohde’s innocence and constitutional rights will be vigorously defended,” the statement said further. The case returns to court on September 23.

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Cape Argus

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