KEY POINTS
- Key witnesses Boeta and Steffie are expected to testify on Friday.
- The defence questions the legality of Van Rhyn’s confession.
- An incident led to Kelly Smith’s temporary removal from the courtroom.
The case is now in its seventh week, with the Western Cape High Court hearing it at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville.
Joshlin Smith, aged six, went missing from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, on 19 February 2024.
Her disappearance has shocked the nation and sparked ongoing public concern. The court has charged her mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn with kidnapping and human trafficking.
Defence questions legality of confession
This week, defence attorney Nobahle Mkabayi, representing Van Rhyn, challenged the admissibility of his video-recorded confession dated 5 March 2024.
Mkabayi argued that Van Rhyn was not mentally or physically fit to give a voluntary statement. “Most of the time, he is sleepy, closing his eyes… he looks drowsy,” she told the court, citing signs of fatigue and pain.
Captain defends interrogation process
According to IOL, despite these claims, Captain Philip Seekoei, who conducted the questioning, maintained that Van Rhyn was alert and cooperative throughout the process.
“He was not sleeping… he nodded and answered questions,” said Seekoei. He also clarified that the document was a statement, not a formal confession, as previously suggested.
Dispute over guilt admission
Mkabayi pressed further: “Whatever you got from my client was not an admission of guilt regarding kidnapping and human trafficking.
”Seekoei stood by his position: “It was a statement and not a confession.”
Kelly Smith temporarily removed from court
During proceedings, Kelly Smith was briefly removed from the courtroom after arriving with a bump on her forehead.
She later returned as the trial continued in Diazville.
National spotlight remains on the case
As week seven unfolds, the trial continues to attract national attention.
The public and legal community alike await further revelations in the search for truth and justice in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.
