Rohde, the former CEO of Geffen International Realty Franchises, is accused of killing his wife Susan in their hotel room at the upmarket Spier Wine Estate on July 24, 2016.

He was released on bail of R100 000 and R1m surety in August 2016.

The property mogul claimed he found his wife dead in the bathroom of their room at the luxury hotel, where the multi-millionaire couple had been attending the Sotheby's annual conference.

Her death was initially presumed to be a suicide and an inquest docket was opened. A post-mortem indicated that foul play might have been involved.

Rohde then commissioned pathology and forensic reports of his own, after police opened a murder docket. The outcome suggested that Susan, 47, had committed suicide.

Rohde's lawyer previously told News24 that his client had said he and his wife had woken up together that Sunday morning. She had gone into the bathroom and he had fallen asleep.

Rohde claimed that he woke up later to prepare for a breakfast talk he was to give at the conference, but was unable to open the bathroom door.

Hotel maintenance was called to help, and Susan was found hanged in the bathroom.

According to the pathologists, her time of death was 05:40.

The night before her death, the two had apparently argued in the hotel bar. Susan had apparently told him she knew he was having an affair.

They got married in 1993 and have 16-year-old twin daughters and an 18-year-old daughter.

News24