Judge uses humour to regain focus during Joshlin Smith court case

Joshlin Smith’s mother during court proceedings

1 minute

Judge Nathan Erasmus has used humour to bring court proceedings back into focus during cross examination in the Joshlin Smith trial within a trial hearing.

Justice Erasmus has on more than one occasion asked Advocate Nobahle Mkabayi to place her questions in context. Captain Philip Seekoei, who took Steveno Van Rhyn’s statement on the 5th of March last year, is under cross examination in the Western Cape High Court sitting in Saldanha.

The defence wants to prove that the accused was not of sober mind when a confession was taken.

“You have no comment to a statement that the person that you were speaking with was drowsy at the time that you were speaking with…the person was not sleeping my lord…were you watching the same tape captain…Mr Harmse just check on your client he’s right here he’s just yawned,” Judge Erasmus addressed Mkabayi’s lawyer.

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