‘No signs of suicide’ – Rohde trial

THE post-mortem results of Susan Rohde showed no signs that she had hanged herself at the Spier Wine Estate in 2016, according to the State.

Susan’s body was found hanging by her neck by an electrical cord from a hook behind the bathroom door of the room she shared with her husband, Jason Rohde, who is on trial for strangling his wife and staging the suicide.

State prosecutor Louis van Niekerk said Jason’s version during his testimony was not true when he claimed that the knot was tight around Susan’s neck.

He told the court Desmond Daniels, the hotel’s handyman, who was called by Jason to unlock the bathroom door, had testified that there was no struggle removing the noose from Susan’s neck.

Van Niekerk said Rohde was not helping the State as he said he could not recall how many knots there were in the noose that had been around his wife’s neck.

According to Daniels’ testimony, he saw a single strand which was loose around Susan’s neck.

This was a statement which Rohde rejected, saying: “Mr Daniels might have been very shocked by the whole scenario and as I said to you before, I wouldn’t comment on what he saw.”

Van Niekerk again accused Rohde of lying to the court as he claimed that his wife was wearing a gown when she was found, while Daniels had testified he saw the naked body of Susan when he got inside the bathroom.

Rohde said: “Mr Van Niekerk, Daniels’ testimony is incorrect, Susan was not naked, she was wearing a gown.”

But Rohde insisted: “She was wearing a gown, there is no doubt about that.”

Van Niekerk further questioned the accused if there was anything that could have been an obstruction which prevented Daniels from seeing the gown. “No,” responded Rohde.

“Then why would he say in his testimony that she was naked,” insisted Van Niekerk.

Rohde reiterated his stance that he could not speak for Daniels.

“Well, that’s his version and I disagree with it,” Rohde said. – African News Agency (ANA)