By Our Reporter
In a case that has gripped South Africa for over a year, a South African woman and her two accomplices have been sentenced to life in prison for the kidnapping and trafficking of her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who disappeared in February 2024 and remains missing to this day.
Racquel “Kelly” Smith (35), her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and their associate Steveno van Rhyn were convicted following a six-week trial that drew national attention due to its shocking allegations and heartbreaking testimony. The sentencing was delivered on Wednesday by Judge Nathan Erasmus at a community centre in Saldanha Bay to allow local residents to witness proceedings.
Life Sentences for Human Trafficking
In a firm and deliberate ruling, Judge Erasmus imposed life sentences for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for kidnapping for each of the three accused. Applause erupted in the courtroom as he declared:
“On the human trafficking charge, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the kidnapping charge, you are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.”
The judge was scathing in his criticism of the convicted, especially Smith and van Rhyn, stating that they showed no remorse for their actions.
“There is nothing that I can find that is redeeming or deserving of a lesser sentence,” he added.
He further noted the emotional and psychological impact of Joshlin’s disappearance on the tight-knit community of Middelpos, describing the damage as leaving residents “fractured.”
A Family and Community in Mourning
As the sentences were read, Smith and her co-accused remained expressionless. But outside the courtroom, emotions were raw. Angry community members had called for the harshest possible punishment, and Joshlin’s grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, expressed ongoing heartbreak.
“I don’t feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back,” she said in an interview with local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika. “Our family is broken.”
She made a direct appeal to her daughter:
“Bring my child back, or tell me where she is.”
Chilling Testimonies and Key Witnesses
The trial included evidence from more than 30 witnesses, exposing a disturbing narrative of manipulation, neglect, and exploitation.
A turning point came from Lourentia Lombaard, a friend and neighbour of Smith, who testified that Smith admitted to selling Joshlin to a traditional healer, or “sangoma.”
“She said she had done something silly. The person who wanted Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and skin,” Lombaard told the court.
Another explosive testimony came from a local pastor, who said Smith had previously spoken of selling her children for R20,000 each — and was even willing to settle for just R5,000 ($275).
Further distressing testimony came from Joshlin’s teacher, who claimed that during the height of the search, Smith chillingly said her daughter was already “on a ship, inside a container, on the way to West Africa.”
Despite the weight of the accusations, Smith and her co-accused refused to testify in their defence or call any witnesses.
A social worker’s pre-sentencing report described Smith as “manipulative” and likely the mastermind of her daughter’s trafficking, while others labeled her behaviour throughout the investigation and trial as calculated and remorseless.
The Search for Joshlin Continues
More than a year since her disappearance, Joshlin Smith has not been found. Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile reaffirmed the ongoing commitment of authorities:
“We will not rest until we find out what happened to Joshlin. We are continuing day and night looking for her.”
A Nation Watching
This case has laid bare the grim realities of child trafficking and familial betrayal, leaving a community devastated and a country demanding justice. While life sentences have now been handed down, for Joshlin’s loved ones, true closure remains elusive until the little girl is found.