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During the Joshlin Smith case appeal hearings on August 13, 2025, Advocate Nobahle Mkabayi, representing Steveno van Rhyn, accused Judge Nathan Erasmus of fostering an unfair trial environment through intimidating facial expressions and alleged judicial bias.
Mkabayi argued that Erasmus’s demeanor, combined with concerns over the court’s treatment of van Rhyn’s allegedly coerced confession, should be grounds to overturn his conviction and life sentence for human trafficking and kidnapping.
The defense’s claims spotlight ongoing tensions in the appeal process, raising questions about courtroom conduct and fairness in one of South Africa’s most closely watched criminal cases.
