Jason Rohde sentenced to effective 20 years behind bars
Former property mogul Jason Rohde was sentenced to an
effective 20 years imprisonment by the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
Rohde was convicted of the murder of his wife Susan and staging it as a suicide at the Spier Wine Estate in 2016.
Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe sentenced Rohde to 20 years direct imprisonment for murder and defeating the ends of justice.
“I’m satisfied that the sentence of long-term imprisonment is called for in these circumstances and that the punishment meted out to you should exceed the minimum the prescribed sentence of 15 years, which will meet all the objective of sentencing,” Salie-Hlophe said during sentencing proceedings.
Salie-Hlophe sentenced Rohde for 18 years for murder and five for staging Susan’s suicide. Rohde will serve the three years for staging the murder concurrently with the sentence for murder.
Salie-Hlophe accused Rohde of using his experience in selling homes to stage the suicide of his wife.
“Through the act for staging, you were marketing and selling the suicide brand you had prepared for.”
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