**In a shocking verdict, Kelly Smith was convicted of kidnapping and trafficking her own daughter Joshlin, whose whereabouts remain unknown despite extensive searches.**
**Mother Convicted of Kidnapping and Trafficking in South Africa**
**Mother Convicted of Kidnapping and Trafficking in South Africa**
**Kelly Smith found guilty as daughter Joshlin remains missing over a year after disappearance**
Kelly Smith, a South African mother, has been found guilty of kidnapping and trafficking her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin, who has been missing for over a year. Along with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and friend Steveno van Rhyn, Smith was arrested after Joshlin vanished outside their home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, in February 2022.
The conviction of Smith and her associates follows a highly publicized trial that captivated the nation. Prosecutors claimed Smith had "sold, delivered or exchanged" Joshlin and had lied about her daughter's disappearance. In response to the guilty verdict, Smith was seen weeping, while Van Rhyn exhibited an unexpected smile, sparking emotional reactions among onlookers in the packed courtroom.
As the case unfolded, dramatic allegations emerged, including a testimony from Lourentia Lombaard, a neighbor who became a state witness. Lombaard alleged that Smith had confessed to selling Joshlin to a traditional healer, known as a "sangoma," who purportedly sought her for her "eyes and skin."
This trial has sparked significant fear among parents in Joshlin's community, with many expressing concerns for their children’s safety amid revelations of Smith’s alleged drug issues and discussions about selling her children. The three defendants face a potential life sentence, with sentencing yet to be determined. Authorities have stated they will continue their search for Joshlin, as her mother's convictions raise pressing questions about the vulnerability of children in South Africa's disadvantaged areas.
The conviction of Smith and her associates follows a highly publicized trial that captivated the nation. Prosecutors claimed Smith had "sold, delivered or exchanged" Joshlin and had lied about her daughter's disappearance. In response to the guilty verdict, Smith was seen weeping, while Van Rhyn exhibited an unexpected smile, sparking emotional reactions among onlookers in the packed courtroom.
As the case unfolded, dramatic allegations emerged, including a testimony from Lourentia Lombaard, a neighbor who became a state witness. Lombaard alleged that Smith had confessed to selling Joshlin to a traditional healer, known as a "sangoma," who purportedly sought her for her "eyes and skin."
This trial has sparked significant fear among parents in Joshlin's community, with many expressing concerns for their children’s safety amid revelations of Smith’s alleged drug issues and discussions about selling her children. The three defendants face a potential life sentence, with sentencing yet to be determined. Authorities have stated they will continue their search for Joshlin, as her mother's convictions raise pressing questions about the vulnerability of children in South Africa's disadvantaged areas.
