Jason Rohde to remain behind bars for killing wife

Jason Rohde is set to remain behind bars for killing wife, after his last failed bail bid in the Western Cape High Court, hence, he won’t appeal.

Last week, Rohde’s bail application was dismissed, and at the time, his attorney Daniel Witz said their instructions were to appeal against the decision.

However, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila on Wednesday said Rohde would not be appealing and will remain behind bars while he awaits the outcome of his application to the Constitutional Court for special leave to appeal against a decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal, relating to his appeal against his conviction and sentencing.

“The NPA has been notified by the legal representative of Jason Rohde that he is not going ahead with an application for leave to appeal the latest bail hearing outcome. He will remain behind bars until we hear the outcome of the Constitutional Court,” said Ntabazalila.

Rohde’s bail application judgment was served by acting Judge Nolundi Nyati last week after Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe became unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances.

Rohde faces 15 years behind bars after his sentence was reduced from 20 years. He was convicted for the murder of his wife after the couple had a dispute in a room at the Spier Hotel in 2016 relating to Jason’s extramarital affair with his former colleague and estate agent, Jolene Alterskye.

Rohde maintains his innocence, denying he had murdered her and then tampered with the scene to stage it as a suicide.

He is expected to hand himself over to authorities at the Plettenberg Bay Police Station.