Defence in Rohde case draws on death of Steve Biko in 'paid' autopsy argument

One of the defence lawyers in property mogul Jason Rohde's murder trial drew on the death of Black Consciousness icon Steve Biko to illustrate his view on the importance of a second autopsy if a cause of death is disputed.

"The history of this country – the so-called dark ages before the 1990s – is peppered with miscarriages of justice," Advocate Graham Van der Spuy said in the Western Cape High Court.

He was cross-examining Paarl chief state pathologist Dr Deidre Abrahams, who oversaw the autopsy on Rohde's wife Susan. The autopsy was conducted by Abrahams' junior Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan.

Rohde trial postponed to give pathologist time to read through medical research

The Western Cape High Court trial of property mogul Jason Rohde, accused of murdering his wife Susan, was postponed to give the State’s pathologist an opportunity to read through medical research.

Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe postponed the trial after she was informed that Paarl chief pathologist Dr Deidre Abrahams needed time to read through screeds of academic literature, which includes more than 180 pages of documents.

Crash involving pathologist's car halts Rohde murder trial

The trial of former property executive Jason Rohde, who stands accused of murdering his wife Susan, was adjourned after the chief pathologist's car was bumped into by another vehicle while she was testifying in the Western Cape High Court.

Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe returned to the court shortly after the lunch adjournment to say she had been told in chambers of an "unfortunate incident" beyond the court's control, and would further adjourn proceedings.

Unaware of what was happening outside, Dr Deidre Abrahams had spent the morning duelling over academic literature on autopsy procedures versus the procudure carried out by her colleague Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan on Susan.