Brigadier Leon Hanana returned to the witness stand under cross-examination, where he firmly rejected claims made by Advocate Fannie Harmse that the 4 March 2024 questioning of the accused was driven by public pressure.
Joshlin Smith trial today: Here’s a breakdown of what happened
Brigadier Hanana clears the air on Ayanda
He also addressed confusion from the previous day about whether Ayanda, the brother of Phumza Sigaqa, had been named during critical moments in the investigation.
Hanana clarified that his earlier mention of Ayanda was a mistake; the name that surfaced in connection with key evidence on 4 March was in fact “Ma Ka Lima” — the nickname used for Phumza.
Despite this correction, Judge Nathan Erasmus allowed further probing due to Ayanda’s recurring presence in the case.
Hanana confirmed Ayanda, who, coincidentally, is the boyfriend of Lourentia Lombaard, the state’s Section 204 witness, was treated as a person of interest, interviewed, and his version checked.
He stated that no sufficient evidence tied Ayanda to Joshlin’s disappearance, and he was never listed as a suspect or formal witness.
Although Ayanda was temporarily relocated to Cape Town due to safety concerns, no formal statement from him exists in the case docket.
Mkabayi also pressed Hanana on the timeline surrounding Phumza’s arrest and whether her cooperation helped the state.
Hanana acknowledged that Phumza provided useful information but said charges against her were dropped due to a lack of evidence for prosecution.
Sgt Johnson gets the grilling of her life
Sgt Johnson, who played a role in the administrative handling of the accused on 5 March 2024, gave extensive testimony, which became a focal point for the defence.
Johnson confirmed that she explained the SAP14A arrest forms to the accused and saw them sign the documents.
However, her inability to confirm whether they were handcuffed or to clearly recall the sequence of movements raised serious concerns from the judge.
Judge Erasmus highlighted contradictions in the police records, particularly the improbability of the timeline suggesting all three suspects were processed, driven, and booked into cells within five minutes.
The judge called the timeline “unrealistic” and criticised the absence of proper documentation in the SAP 10 occurrence book. Johnson admitted that her handwriting appeared in the entries but conceded that the logbook entries did not align with reality.
Under cross-examination, Advocate Harmse accused her of either being forgetful or dishonest.
Johnson stood by her account but struggled to explain how she could have missed whether Jacquen Appollis was in handcuffs or not, especially given that she observed him signing documents.
She also denied claims made by Steveno’s legal counsel that she participated in or witnessed his alleged torture at the Sea Border offices.
Other witnesses who testified today
Sgt. Emilio Benjamin and Sgt. Mzamo Mbovana were called to present a clearer timeline of events.
Both confirmed they transported Steveno van Rhyn to Vredenburg Hospital on 5 March 2024, where he was examined by Dr Nel.
According to their testimonies, Steveno reported pain in his arms and legs but told the doctor that he fell off a friend’s bakkie.
X-rays were taken, and medication was issued. Sgt Mbovana remained present during the exam and later handed over the J88 form documenting Steveno’s medical condition.
Benjamin and Mbovana both said they delivered Steveno to Colonel Clark for a confession, which was interrupted when Steveno fell asleep and said he was hungry.
At that point, he was handed over to Sgt Johnson. Both witnesses denied witnessing or being aware of any mistreatment of Steveno.
The state confirmed that Colonel Clark, who took Steveno’s confession, will testify next, and videos of the confession will be played in court.
Here’s what happens next in the trial-within-a-trial
Colonel Clark’s testimony is scheduled for Day 22 and will include video footage of the confession made by Jacquen Appollis.
Advocate Mkabayi confirmed that she did not object to the videos being played but requested that they be viewed in court before being officially submitted as evidence.
Judge Erasmus reiterated the importance of the material, especially given that both Steveno and Jacquen now claim the statements presented were not their own.
This declaration could render the contents admissible, shifting the court’s focus onto the method by which the confessions were obtained.
Efforts to relocate Jacquen and Steveno to a facility closer to the trial venue have failed, and they will remain at Malmesbury Prison for now.
Kelly Smith will continue to be held in Langebaan.
Proceedings are scheduled to resume at 08:30.
