Man who helped nail wife killer Rohde to probe Watson crash

A top forensic expert who helped secure wife killer Jason Rohde’s conviction has been appointed as part of the team to investigate Bosasa boss Gavin Watson’s death.

Times Select has learnt that head of the mechanical and metallurgical engineering subsection of the SAPS Col Danie Poolman, whose expert testimony in the Rohde matter played a key part in the conviction, had been brought in to assist the police looking into the cause of the Watson crash.

Poolman poked holes in Rohde’s version of events that his wife Susan had hanged herself with a curling iron cord. He demonstrated to the court how this was a highly unlikely scenario.

“When I looked at photographs and the tool‚ I questioned how did this person hang herself with this cord,” he testified, when evidence from the crime scene was presented to him. “As the cable hangs here it does not correspond with how the body was found‚” Poolman said.

Rohde was convicted and jailed for 20 years.

Accident investigator Konrad Lotter, who has been hired by the Watson family to investigate the crash, told Times Select he was confident about the SAPS team investigating the case.

“They have got some really strong investigators. They are taking this very seriously,” he said.

He said he would be inspecting the car wreck on Friday.

Lotter confirmed that some of the autopsy results were due to be made available on Wednesday.

“I will get to look at them. They will not be all the results. The results that take time are the toxicology and blood reports. They take some time. But the results that are expected out will definitely assist with my investigation.”

Asked about Watson’s cellphone, he said it would be crucial to the investigation.

“It will help with geolocation and determining the routes travelled. The fact that it was not with him when first responders got to the scene is concerning. If it was and it’s missing from the scene it is vital that it is obtained as quickly as possible as it can provide crucial step-by-step information on movements and times.

“It will help answer a lot of unanswered questions.”

Earlier, police sources said the investigation would focus on the whereabouts of Watson’s cellphone and the speedometer of his wrecked company car.

Watson, 73, died when the Toyota Corolla, which belonged to African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa), crashed into a bridge pillar within the precinct of OR Tambo International Airport at about 5am on Monday.

A police investigator who was at the accident scene said Watson’s phone was nowhere to be found.

“Company directors have been asked for information on it, whether it was at the Bosasa offices or if it may be at another location. So far no information has been given on it.

“It was also not with his family,” said the police source.

Bosasa spokesperson Papa Leshabane, asked whether police had approached company staff for assistance in locating Watson’s cellphone, said: “I am not commenting on it or on what has been asked.”

The police investigator said the force of the collision showed the car had been travelling at high speed.

“The speedometer was stopped at the 140km/h mark. It is clear that he was driving at speed. Whether this is the cause of the crash or not is not yet known. That will only come out from an analysis of the vehicle and potentially from post mortem results.”

A second police source, with knowledge of the investigation, said fingerprints were being taken from the body.

“This is being done for several reasons. It’s part of standard operating procedures. And it’s being done to stamp out all the speculation on whether this was in fact Watson who died.”

Police spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said the investigation was ongoing.

“The SAPS cannot report on the case minute to minute. Once the case is finalised we will be able to comment further.”