He’s not a bad man, says wife killer’s lover

Jason Rohde’s former mistress Joelene Alterskyle accuses police of lying under

JASON Rohde’s former lover believes he is an innocent man who was wrongfully convicted by a crooked justice system.

Sotheby’s estate agent and single mom Jolene Alterskyle, 37, made these allegations in a text message sent after Rohde was jailed this week for 20 years for the murder of his wife at Spier Hotel in July 2016 and staging it to look like suicide.

The message followed her scathing post soon after sentencing on the South African Police Facebook page where she accused Rohde’s arresting officers of lying and acting unlawfully.

“The State and the Judge are in the same team,” says Alterskye in her text message. “If the State acted unlawfully in illegally searching properties and bribing state witnesses, what else did they fabricate in order to get their Xmas Bonus?”

The Rohde case “was an attempt by the State “to create a crime which never happened”, continues Alterskye, to jail “a high-profile white man”.

She also said that she hoped the truth would out one day.

Earlier on the police Facebook page Alterskye had lashed out at a statement the police posted immediately after Rohde’s sentencing on Wednesday.

Featuring a photograph of the Stellenbosch detectives outside the high court, Saps praised Rohde investigating officers Sergeants Marlon Appolis and Stephen Adams for their “winning streak” of successful convictions in three murder cases.

Lauding their “sterling” work it concluded: “It is remarkable that the same detective team is able to secure convictions and sentences in three major cases from the same area in such a short period.”

Alterskye lashed out in response. “These 2 “officers” did nothing but lie and acted unlawfully raiding my home and intimidating my child without a legal search warrant. After months of broken promises I received my “illegally” confiscated goods through whiskey pays-offs as that is the only language they understand. This is not people we should respect nor promote so hopefully they do not get a higher rank. I do hope these detectives are not the norm and that there are good cops out there.”

Alterskye was referring to her phone and computer which were seized by the officers in September 2016.

Several responses followed before Alterskye deleted her post.

“But you’re the affair…wtf???” said one.

“Very bold of her to comment being his mistress,” wrote another.

In the aftermath, Alterskye’s lawyer William Booth declined to answer questions relating to what evidence his client had about a judicial conspiracy. Nor would he elaborate on the “truth” about the Rohde matter.

“We have noted your request for comment,” he said, “but at this time my client does not wish to say anything. We will consider the matter and reply at a later time if necessary. She also feels that the judicial process must first take its course.”

Calling Alterskye’s allegations “vague, broad, non-specific and slanderous in nature”, Rohde prosecutor advocate Louis van Niekerk said that Rohde’s ex made a statement to the police during the early stages of the investigation.

“There was no indication whatsoever at the time that a scheme, a conspiracy or a cover-up was under way against Mr Jason Rhode.”

He also questioned if Alterskye had made any of these “nonsense” allegations under oath.

Responding to the allegations, Saps spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana advised Alterskye “to lodge an official complaint with the Stellenbosch management in order for the allegations in her post to be investigated.”

This is not the first time that the whiskey penchant of Stellenbosch’s Starsky & Hutch has made the news.

In August last year during a defence witness’s testimony it emerged that Appolis drank Johnny Walker Blue Label whisky at 11am while taking a statement from Rohde’s colleague, Brendan Miller.