Former property mogul Jason Rohde was found guilty of murdering his wife Susan on Thursday morning.
The murder took place on July 24 2016 while they attended a gala dinner at Spier in Stellenbosch. Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe said the court believed the State proved its case beyond reasonable and that Rohde had direct intent to kill his wife.
Susan's naked body was found on the bathroom floor of the Spier Wine Estate hotel room and it was Rohde's version that his wife had committed suicide by hanging herself from the bathroom door. The State rejected this and said Rohde had staged the scene to make it look like a suicide.
Judge Salie-Hlophe said Rohde had misled the court and his version was "not possibly reasonably true", adding that he was not a credible witness when taking the stand.
"I have an issue with the accused's version. There are various features which are puzzling to which he could give no reasonable explanation. The accused was belligerent and he adapted and struggled with his narrative," she said.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila welcomed Jason Rohde being found guilty of murdering his wife Susan, after yesterday’s successful murder convictions of Courtney Pieterse and Hannah Cornelius’s killers. Video: Chevon Booysen
Judge Salie-Hlophe revoked Rohde's bail of R100 000 and he was immediately remanded in custody.
Despite efforts by Rohde's counsel to reimpose bail while the matter was postponed, Judge Salie-Hlophe said this would not be granted as Rohde was convicted of a "very serious crime".
The matter was postponed to November 21 for sentencing proceedings.
Judge Salie-Hlophe revoked Jason Rohde's bail of R100 000 and he was immediately remanded in custody. Video: Chevon Booysen