Jason Rohde has filed an application at the High Court in Cape Town for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence for the murder of his wife, Susan Rohde. The former property mogul was sentenced in February to an effective 20 years in prison.
He was also found guilty of defeating the ends of justice.
The defence for Rohde believes that the State failed to prove that he is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
In a 70 page court document, Rhode’s defence team gives several reasons why he should be granted leave to appeal.
The defence also states that the conviction of the accused was against the evidence and the weight of the evidence.
Lawyer, Daniel Witz says a court date must still be set for the matter to be argued.
“We are now waiting for; number one, for the State to read the papers and respond as well as the court to the give us a date to argue our leave to appeal application. We’ve cross referenced the court transcript which is the entirety of the trial against the judgement of the conviction and sentencing of Mr Rohde and we raise our concerns with the judge’s findings on both the conviction of the two counts murder and number two, defeating the ends of justice. We are appealing the sentencing based on those convictions.”
The defence also states that the court should have found the accused not guilty and should have acquitted him in respect of the aforesaid counts.
Susan Rohde’s lifeless body was found in a room of the upmarket Spier Wine Farm in July 2016.
The couple were attending a function of the property mogul at the time of her death.
