nuOct 14, 2026, 08:34

Relatives of model Ivana Smit will not receive high damages after all

The family of the late model Ivana Smit has lost a court appeal regarding 224,000 euros in compensation after the Malaysian authorities successfully challenged a previous ruling that found police negligence in the investigation of her 2017 death. Smit's legal team is now considering seeking permission from the highest court in Malaysia to challenge this latest decision.

The family of 18-year-old Dutch model Ivana Smit, who was found dead in Malaysia in 2017, will not receive a previously awarded compensation of 224,000 euros. Although a judge had previously ruled that the Malaysian police acted negligently in their investigation, an appeals court has now overturned this decision, reversing the order for damages. Smit's family has long questioned the official narrative that her death from a balcony fall was an accident, citing findings from a Dutch pathologist suggesting she may have been deceased before the fall.

Lawyer Sébas Diekstra expressed deep frustration over the ruling, describing the ongoing legal battle as harrowing for the grieving family. While the court's decision is a significant setback, the family's legal team is currently consulting with attorneys in Malaysia to determine if they can seek permission from the country's highest court to appeal the verdict further. Diekstra emphasized that they are carefully reviewing the judgment to decide on their next course of action in the pursuit of accountability.

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Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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