His legal team is now scrambling to get him out of custody as soon as possible following the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) decision to release him on R200,000 bail on Wednesday.

The businessman is fighting his 20-year prison term handed down by the Western Cape High Court for his wife’s 2016 murder in Stellenbosch. But he continued to maintain his innocence.

Rohde will live in Plettenberg Bay when he is released on bail.

His release comes with conditions such as having to report to the Plettenberg Bay police station twice a week, and he should notify the station commander when he plans to travel to Cape Town and Johannesburg to attend court appearances or for business matters.

The High Court initially dismissed his bid for bail, which prompted the former property mogul to approach the SCA. He asked the court to grant him bail to afford him an opportunity to save his business, generate an income and maintain his three children financially.

Rohde’s lawyer Tony Mostert said they welcomed the SCA’s decision.

“We are obviously overwhelmed by the news and have every confidence that he was entitled to bail and the courts have endorsed our case,” he said.

Eyewitness News