Nightmare Mother South African Woman Gets Life for Selling Daughter

South Africa Shaken as Joshlin Smith's Mother Receives Life Sentence for Kidnapping and Trafficking

In a case that has gripped South Africa, Racquel "Kelly" Smith, the mother of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, has been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and trafficking her own daughter. The sentencing, handed down alongside similar life sentences for her accomplices, Jacquen Appollis (her boyfriend) and Steveno van Rhyn, marks a somber chapter in a saga that began with Joshlin's mysterious disappearance in February 2024.

Joshlin vanished from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, sparking a massive and highly publicised search. Despite extensive efforts, the young girl remains missing, casting a long shadow over the community and the nation.

The eight-week trial was a focal point for South Africans, with the courtroom packed as shocking allegations emerged. Judge Nathan Erasmus, in delivering the sentence, emphasized the equal culpability of all three defendants.

Key Points from the Sentencing:

• Life imprisonment for human trafficking.
• 10 years imprisonment for kidnapping.
• Judge Erasmus found no redeeming qualities in the trio’s actions.
• The community of Middelpos has been left "fractured" by the crime.

According to Reuters, Kelly Smith refused to testify in the six-week trial.

The judge highlighted the lack of remorse shown by Van Rhyn and Smith, stating there was "nothing that I can find that is redeeming or deserving of a lesser sentence." The sentencing was met with applause from community members who filled the community center in Saldanha, where the trial was held to accommodate public interest.

Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile has vowed that the search for Joshlin will continue, even beyond South Africa's borders. "We will not rest until we find [out] what happened to Joshlin. We are continuing day and night looking for her," Patekile told local media.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) celebrated the verdict, affirming that they had successfully proven Joshlin was "sold [and] delivered to the intended buyer" for exploitation and slavery. The NPA lauded the team's effort in achieving this conviction.

Before the sentencing, Joshlin's grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, made a heartfelt plea for her daughter to reveal Joshlin's whereabouts. "I don't feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back," she lamented to Newzroom Afrika, adding that Joshlin's disappearance had left her family "broken."

Damning Testimonies:

• Lourentia Lombaard, a neighbor and state witness, testified that Smith admitted to selling Joshlin to a traditional healer for her eyes and skin.
• A local pastor recounted hearing Smith discuss selling her children for financial gain.
• Joshlin's teacher testified that Smith had claimed her daughter was already "on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa."

A social worker's report painted Smith as manipulative and the "mastermind" behind Joshlin's trafficking. The court also heard powerful statements from those close to Joshlin, emphasizing the profound impact of her disappearance on the community.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of children and the horrific reality of human trafficking. The life sentences handed down offer a measure of justice, but the search for Joshlin continues, and the community remains deeply affected by this tragedy. The hope is that this verdict brings some semblance of closure while underscoring the urgent need to protect children and combat human trafficking in South Africa and beyond.

The anguish and heartbreak over the tragic story of Joshlin Smith resonates deeply, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's conscience.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj93yvr3n1xo