Psychiatrist gives secret information in Jason Rohde trial

Jason Rohde’s defence team called forensic psychiatrist Dr Larissa Panieri-Peter to the stand to testify on Monday.

Panieri-Peter has featured in some high-profile cases, including that of former police officer Marius van der Westhuizen, who shot his three children. Panieri-Peter was previously attached to the forensic unit at Valkenberg Hospital.

Defence lawyer Graham van der Spuy submitted that it was for the court to decide how to weigh the evidence of Panieri-Peter. He spent some time establishing the doctor as an expert.

Panieri-Peter also testified that she had an important piece of information she got from the husband, “which I had to drag out in different ways”. The psychiatrist said the information had not been confirmed, and that she was “very anxious about saying it in [court]”.

“It is about a third party, and it is important,” she said.

READ MORE: Forensic expert picks holes in Susan Rohde autopsy report

Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe said that, by agreement with the media, the sound would be turned off when Panieri-Peter reveals this one piece of information.

Panieri-Peter, who was hired by Rohde’s defence team, gave testimony about the conclusions she came to after compiling a report on Susan Rohde’s mental state.

Panieri-Peter portrayed the late Susan as “paranoid and protective of her first-born”, saying she was “excessively concerned with germs near her baby” and that she was “facing the empty nest”.

She also said that after interviewing people, it was revealed that Susan bruised very easily, “like an apple”. This is important, as Rohde’s defence seeks to show that the bruises found on Susan’s body were not inflicted by him.

The court heard that Panieri-Peter, in compiling her report on Rohde’s late wife, looked at reports by Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan – who did the initial autopsy – Dr Reggie Perumal – who was hired by the defence to do a second autopsy – as well as the police docket, WhatsApp communication, Susan and and her daughter’s Facebook profiles, and another diary of Susan’s that was found at her home.

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