The final arguments in the high-profile Joshlin Smith trial were presented on Wednesday, 30 April 2025, marking the end of courtroom debate before judgment.
Joshlin Smith trial today: Here’s a breakdown of what happened
Defence attorneys representing all three accused—Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Kelly Smith—used the day to attack the credibility of the State’s key witness, Lourentia Lombaard, while the State countered that sufficient evidence exists to support convictions.
Advocate Nobahle Mkabayi, acting for Steveno van Rhyn, opened the day by asserting that the State was relying on unproven speculation. She called Lombaard a “liar” who misled police officers who had tried to help her.
“The one who lied uncontrollably, the one who fooled three police officers?” Mkabayi asked, adding,
“There is no compelling evidence before this court suggesting my client committed an offence of trafficking in person, kidnapping, or conspiracy.”
She argued that the State had failed to prove that Steveno delivered Joshlin to anyone, or that he participated in a common plan to commit trafficking. Instead, she framed Steveno’s conduct on the day of Joshlin’s disappearance as routine—selling a microwave—and not criminal.
She concluded, “When you traffick, you don’t traffick alone. Who is the other person?”
Rinesh Sivnarain, attorney for Kelly Smith, focused on dismantling Lombaard’s credibility, calling her a “single witness” whose testimony should be approached with extreme caution.
“All the incidents that were testified about happened under the influence of drugs,” Sivnarain told the court.
He pointed out that Lombaard admitted to using methamphetamine up to three times a day during February 2024 and that she herself said her mental faculties were impaired at the time.
“She would’ve said anything to distance herself,” he claimed, adding that her statements about overhearing a conversation through a broken window were “made up.” Sivnarain concluded that the State had failed to meet the threshold of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The State, represented by Advocate Zelda Swanepoel, responded by admitting that while Lombaard was not a perfect witness, her evidence was not so poor that it should be discarded entirely.
“I concede she wasn’t the best witness,” she said.
“But the test is whether the evidence is so bad that no court would believe it—and that is not the case here.”
Swanepoel reminded the court that both Appollis and Van Rhyn pointed to Kelly Smith when they told her to “tell the truth.”
She cited witness Steven Coetzee, who testified that Kelly had said Middelpos “would become a movie scene” and insisted,
“There is no way that he made this up.”
She also recalled Kelly’s own words, reportedly telling police: “Joshlin made me famous.” In closing, Swanepoel stated, “If everything is considered, there is a call for her [Kelly] to answer.”
Judge Nathan Erasmus concluded the day by confirming that judgment will be delivered on Friday, 3 May 2025.
He acknowledged the public interest in the case and noted that seating arrangements will be prioritised for the families of the accused and the missing child.
Here’s what happens next in the trial-within-a-trial
With all evidence presented and final arguments concluded, the Joshlin Smith trial now moves to its most critical stage: judgment.
Judge Erasmus will assess whether the State has proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly concerning the admissibility of the confessions and the credibility of key witness testimonies.
The judgment will be handed down on Friday at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, which has served as the courtroom throughout the proceedings.
Expectations are high, with the community and national observers closely watching the outcome of a trial that has captivated public attention since Joshlin’s disappearance on 19 February 2024.
