The Joshlin Smith trial continues today with a key focus on video evidence as the State prepares to lead Colonel Clark through his testimony. Clark, the officer who recorded Steveno van Rhyn’s confession on 5 March 2024, will appear on the stand to verify the contents and context of the footage.
What to expect from the Joshlin Smith trial on Day 22
The court is expected to view video clips of Steveno’s interview, including the moment he reportedly fell asleep mid-confession and was then escorted to Vredenburg Hospital.
The State will also introduce video footage of Jacquen Appollis’s confession, a significant development in the ongoing trial-within-a-trial, which aims to determine whether these confessions were obtained voluntarily or through coercion.
Advocate Nobahle Mkabayi, for Steveno, has already confirmed that she will not object to the videos being played, but requested that the material be previewed in court before submission as evidence.
The defence will likely monitor these recordings closely, as both accused now claim they never made the statements attributed to them.
Readers can follow the live trial coverage today as the courtroom battle intensifies.
Recap of Day 21: Key testimonies and new revelations
Day 21 saw several witnesses return to the stand for cross-examination and clarification around the events that unfolded on 4 and 5 March 2024, when Jacquen and Steveno allegedly confessed to their roles in Joshlin’s disappearance.
Brigadier Leon Hanana Rebuts Torture Claims and Clarifies Identity Confusion
Brigadier Hanana completed his cross-examination by firmly denying claims that police were under public pressure to extract confessions. He addressed an earlier error in his testimony where he confused Ayanda, the boyfriend of State witness Lourentia Lombaard, with the nickname “Ma Ka Lima”, which actually referred to Phumza Sigaqa, Steveno’s sister and a former suspect.
Hanana confirmed that while Ayanda was interviewed, there was no evidence to formally link him to Joshlin’s disappearance. Though considered a person of interest, he was never listed as a suspect or witness, and no signed statement from him exists in the case file.
Sgt Johnson Under Fire for Incomplete Records and Timeline Discrepancies
Next to testify was Sergeant Johnson, who handled the arrest paperwork for the accused on 5 March. She admitted that she explained the SAP14A forms and saw the accused sign them but failed to confirm whether they were in handcuffs at the time.
Judge Nathan Erasmus criticised the police’s record-keeping, calling the documented timeline of the arrests “unrealistic.” He found it implausible that three suspects could be processed and booked within five minutes, particularly given the lack of detail in the SAP 10 occurrence book.
Johnson, under cross-examination by Advocate Fannie Harmse, struggled to explain her omissions, especially regarding her inability to recall key movements of Jacquen Appollis. She denied witnessing any torture but conceded that documentation gaps undermined procedural clarity.
Transport Officers Deny Mistreatment of Steveno
Sergeant Emilio Benjamin and Sergeant Mzamo Mbovana gave crucial testimony related to Steveno’s hospital visit on 5 March. They confirmed taking him to Vredenburg Hospital, where he was examined by Dr Nel.
Steveno reportedly complained of pain in his arms and legs, telling the doctor that he had fallen off a friend’s bakkie. X-rays were conducted, and medication was issued.
Both officers stated they observed no signs of torture and said Steveno made no such claims during the hospital visit or the handover to Colonel Clark.
They also confirmed that the confession process was interrupted when Steveno fell asleep, at which point he was handed to Sgt Johnson.
Efforts to relocate Jacquen and Steveno to a facility nearer to the court have failed. Both remain at Malmesbury Prison, while Kelly Smith continues to be held in Langebaan.