Witness questioned over discrepancies
Handyman recounts moment he saw Susan Rohde’s body
THE handyman, who was the first to witness Susan Rohde’s body tied to the hook of the bathroom door, was grilled by the defence advocate over discrepancies in his evidence. Desmond Daniels told the Western Cape High Court two weeks ago that he received a call on July 24, 2016, from the control office at Spier Wine Estate that the bathroom door in room 221 wouldn’t open. He said on arrival at the door he was met by former property mogul, Jason Rohde. Daniels said he assisted by unlocking the bathroom door with a screwdriver and, as he was opening it, at 150mm ajar, he saw someone’s legs. He said he could not see the entire body, just from the knees down to the ankles. However, yesterday defence lawyer advocate Graham van der Spuy disputed Daniels’s claims of opening the door himself. Van der Spuy put it to the witness that Jason was the one who opened the door, not Daniels. “I find it puzzling why you would open the door. That is for the guests to do. Private territory for the guest. Mr Rohde said he opened the door, not you. You did not open it 150mm,” he said.
Van der Spuy asked that if the Daniels version was correct, did the door open easily or was it difficult? To which Daniels said he opened it easily, but only chose not to open it fully because he saw someone’s legs.
“I will tell you why you did not open it fully. Mr Rohde says when he opened the door he felt resistance,” said Van der Spuy.
Van der Spuy asked Daniels what sort of impression he got when he saw Susan’s naked body. “It must have come as a surprise, shock or embarrassment for you?” he said.
Daniels admitted he was shocked. Susan was found dead, on July 24, 2016, in a hotel room the couple had been sharing. It is the State’s case that she was murdered by her husband, Jason, and he posed it as a suicide.