Joshlin Smith trial | Witness adament about what she saw despite efforts to discredit her statement

Joshlin Smith

Cape Town — A new witness took the stand in the Joshlin Smith trial on Tuesday as Paulina Tshosa faced cross-examination, with efforts made to discredit her testimony.

Saldanha Bay residents anxiously awaited developments in the case of young Joshlin Smith, who vanished in February 2024, over a year ago.

Now in its second week, the trial saw Tshosa extensively questioned by Nobahle Mkabayi, the defence attorney for Steveno van Rhyn, one of the three suspects accused of involvement in Joshlin’s disappearance.

Mkabayi pressed Tshosa on what she had witnessed on the day Joshlin went missing, particularly questioning discrepancies in her original statement, which alleged that the group had been using drugs that day, IOL reported.

Despite rigorous questioning, Tshosa remained firm in her account. She testified that she was on her way to a hair appointment when she saw Kelly engaged in a heated argument with a man. She also noticed a child nearby.

Tshosa said she assumed the man was Kelly’s partner. She alleged that Kelly grabbed the child and said, “I will show you.” After showing Joshlin a pink flip-flop, Tshosa recalled hearing the sound of pots and dishes crashing.

She further testified that she saw the man, believed to be Kelly’s partner, seated in the middle of an informal settlement.

Kelly’s lawyer, Rinesh Sivnarain, asked if Tshosa personally knew Kelly. She responded that she did not and explained that the argument with the man was the first time she had seen her.

Tshosa described the altercation between Kelly and Boeta as verbal but suggested it had the potential to turn physical.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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