Latest news with #SaldanhaBay
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Mom who sold her daughter, six, after 'healer' wanted child is jailed for life
A mother who sold her six-year-old daughter to a 'healer' for just $1,100 has been jailed for life in South Africa. Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, 35, was convicted of kidnapping and trafficking along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn. Little Joshlin Smith, who has a fair complexion and turquoise eyes, disappeared last February after vanishing outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town - and has not been seen since. A court heard during the six-week trial how Smith was sought out by a 'healer' for her 'light eyes and skin', with the mother reportedly receiving around $1,100 for her. 'On the human trafficking charge, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the kidnapping charge, you are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment,' Judge Nathan Erasmus told the trio. He said he 'drew no distinction' from each other in their evil crime and the cold-hearted group showed no emotion as their sentences were read out. The shocking trial has captivated South Africa for the last few months, with Joshlin still missing despite a major search operation. Joshlin's grandmother, who now cares for her daughter's eldest child, pleaded with Smith ahead of the sentence to 'bring my [grand]child back or tell me where she is'. Amanda Smith-Daniels later told local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that 'I don't feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back.' Her family has been left 'broken', she said, and she condemned her daughter for blaming others over the tragedy when she 'was the person that did the deed'. 'How do you sleep [and] live with yourself?' she asked the callous mother in her victim statement on Wednesday after it was revealed by a social worker Joshlin had been living a life of neglect. Smith and her accomplices refused to testify during the trial or call on any witnesses for their defense but more than 30 people were brought in to tell the court about Joshlin's troubled life and disappearance. Lourentia Lombaard, Smith's friend and neighbor, told the community center - acting as a court so locals could attend - that Smith had admitted to her she had done 'something silly' in a shocking confession. In the days before Joshlin disappeared, the mother confessed to her that she had sold her child to a 'sangoma' - a traditional healer. Lourentia said she later saw Smith pack some of Joshlin's clothing into a black bag, which she was carrying when she met a woman she believes was the sangoma. Smith climbed into a white car with Joshlin and the sangoma and they drove away, according to Lourentia. One of Joshlin's teachers said Smith told them during one of the searches for Joshlin that she was already 'on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa'. The court also heard from a local pastor who said that he heard Smith, who has three children, talk about selling them for 20,000 rand, which is the equivalent of $1,100. Smith had allegedly been happy to settle for even less, willing to sell Joshlin for $250. A social worker tasked with writing a report on the trio wrote that it would not be a 'stretch to conclude that Smith is the mastermind behind the trafficking of her own daughter'. She also spoke about how Smith was said to have a history of drug abuse since she was 15 and was an addict when Joshlin was born. It took her five months to register the child's birth. Amanda kicked her out of her house because of her abuse after she had threatened to stab her own son. Intermittently living at a shelter for abused women, Smith would then be abusive to her own children when she was high. She eventually went to rehab and Joshlin lived with family friends who tried to adopt her. The parents blocked the adoption bid but Joshlin still managed to spend weekends with them and go on trips. 'We could have provided for her better than her mother,' Natasha Andrews said during the trial. It was only once all the victim statements had been read yesterday alongside a video clip of Joshlin laughing on holiday with the Andrews family that Smith finally cried. Joshlin's father, Jose Emke, also broke down and had to be carried out of the courtroom. Natasha said she wanted to share the video because 'so many people… don't know what Joshlin sounds like'. The youngster was described by her teacher Edna Maart as 'very tidy' and a quiet pupil. A woman believed to be the sangoma was arrested alongside the other defendants last year, but the charges against her were dropped due to a lack of evidence. Sangomas are recognized in South Africa under the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007. It is believed they can access ancestral spirits who guide their healing. In March, police said children's clothing had been recovered near the settlement of small houses where Joshlin lived and was sent to a laboratory for forensic examination. Community members who are also involved in the search said the clothing was spattered with blood and a knife was also found. Police didn't give any more details on what was discovered. Western Cape province police commissioner Thembisile Patekile told reporters during the trial that more arrests could be made, but authorities also had to re-focus on the search for Joshlin. 'At this stage, we do not have a child,' he said. 'Our ultimate goal is to find the child. We still want to find that child alive.'
Russia Today
29-05-2025
- General
- Russia Today
South African woman gets life in prison for selling six-year-old daughter
While the three individuals convicted of kidnapping and trafficking six-year-old Joshlin Smith were sentenced to life imprisonment for the crimes on Thursday, the police said the search for the little girl would go on. There has been no trace of Joshlin since her disappearance from her Middelpos, Saldanha Bay home on 19 February 2024. Evidence in the trial was that she was sold for R20,000. Joshlin's mother, Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis, and family acquaintance Steveno 'Steffie' van Rhyn were found guilty in the Western Cape High Court earlier this month. On Thursday, they were sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking and 10 years for kidnapping. They have indicated that they will be appealing. The three did not testify in their defence. In a statement, Western Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, commended all the officers, detectives, and specialists involved in the case. 'Your dedication reflects the very best of our nation's law enforcement and brings hope to families still waiting for justice,' he said in Saldanha, where the case was heard. 'Our thoughts remain with the family of Joshlin Smith. May they find some comfort in knowing that justice has prevailed,' he said. The statement added that the search for Joshlin has not been called off. 'SAPS remains fully committed to exploring every possible lead in the pursuit of real closure in this tragic matter.' Joshlin's godmother, Natasha Andrews, said the silence from the trio during sentencing deepened the family's pain. 'She was our baby daughter. She lived with us, ate, and went on holidays with us, we did everything for her. 'They were given a chance to say something, anything that could have helped us find her, but they said nothing. Kelly didn't even shed a tear. If they wanted to help, they would have. That chance is gone, and now we just hope one day we will find her.' Andrews said she visited Kelly after sentencing. 'She was sobbing, but at the end of the day, we still don't have answers. I remain hopeful that Joshlin will be found. We are not going to give up. Kelly accepted me into her life and into Joshlin's life. I'll never stop visiting her until we have an answer.' Joshlin's paternal grandmother, Louretta Yon, said: 'What Kelly did was harsh. Maybe one day she will tell the truth about what happened to Joshlin. I don't want to say anything to Kelly now.' Kelly's mother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, said: 'She did the crime, and the law must take its course. It's not nice that my child has to spend her life in jail, but she did something wrong and must deal with the consequences.' First published by IOL
ABC News
29-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
South African woman who sold six-year-old daughter sentenced to life in prison
A South African woman who kidnapped and sold her six-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison. Joshlin Smith vanished in February last year from her home in Saldanha Bay, a fishing town 135 kilometres north of Cape Town. She has never been found. Racquel "Kelly" Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were found guilty of kidnapping and selling the young girl, reportedly for 20,000 rand ($1,700). On Thursday, local time, Judge Nathan Erasmus ruled that Smith, 35, and her two co-accused be jailed for life for human trafficking. They were all sentenced to a concurrent 10 years' imprisonment for kidnapping. "I am also ordering the entry of your names to the child protection register," Judge Erasmus said. Smith was present at the court and sat through the hour-long proceeding with an impassive gaze. The judge said the mother-of-three was manipulative and had shown "no indication of remorse" or concern over her daughter's disappearance. The verdict drew cheers in the courtroom. Joshlin's grandmother was also present in court in a white shirt emblazoned with images of the young girl. Smith initially attracted sympathy when her child disappeared, sparking a massive nationwide search operation. Photos of Joshlin flooded the internet, with a minister offering a one million rand ($87,000) reward for her safe return. Smith said she had left Joshlin with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, on the day she disappeared, but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested. A woman testified during the trial that Smith had told her she and her accomplices had sold Joshlin to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts. The judge did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her, but said she had been sold for slavery or practices similar to slavery. Witnesses in the trial, which began in March, included the girl's teacher and a pastor, who said the mother had told him of the planned sale of her child in 2023. Police said on Thursday they had extended the search beyond South Africa's borders. South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world and the kidnapping of children is on the rise. There were more than 17,000 kidnappings in South Africa in the 2023-24 financial year, an 11 per cent increase over the previous year, according to police statistics. The data does not specify the ages of the victims. Reuters/AFP
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
A South African woman is sentenced to life in prison for selling her young daughter
Warning: Disturbing content. CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A South African woman was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for selling her 6-year-old daughter. Kelly Smith was sentenced by a judge alongside two others, her boyfriend and another man, who also received life sentences. All three were convicted earlier this month on kidnapping and human trafficking charges. Smith's daughter, Joshlin, went missing in February 2024 when she was 6, sparking a nationwide hunt by police in South Africa. She has still not been found. Smith, boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were sentenced to life terms for human trafficking and 10 years each for kidnapping. Their sentences were read out by Judge Nathan Erasmus at a sports centre in the west coast town of Saldanha Bay. The trial was moved to the sports centre so members of the local community could attend. Smith — whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith — was initially a figure of sympathy when her daughter went missing. Community members rallied around her and volunteered to help police search for Joshlin in the sand dunes near their poor neighbourhood of shacks close to Saldanha Bay, around 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Cape Town. A photograph of Joshlin smiling and with her hair tied in pigtails was broadcast by news stations across South Africa during the hunt for her. Smith said she had left Joshlin with Appollis on the day she disappeared, but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested. A woman testified during the trial that Smith had told her she and the two men had sold Joshlin for around US$1,000 to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts. The judge's verdict did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her, but said she had been sold for slavery or practices similar to slavery. ___ The Associated Press
BreakingNews.ie
29-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
South African woman sentenced to life in prison for selling daughter
A South African woman has been sentenced to life in prison for selling her six-year-old daughter. Kelly Smith was sentenced by a judge alongside two others, her boyfriend and another man, who also received life sentences. Advertisement All three were convicted earlier this month on kidnapping and human trafficking charges. Smith's daughter, Joshlin, went missing in February 2024 when she was six, sparking a nationwide hunt by police in South Africa. She has still not been found. Smith, boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were sentenced to life terms for human trafficking and 10 years each for kidnapping. Their sentences were read out by Judge Nathan Erasmus at a sports centre in the west coast town of Saldanha Bay. The trial was moved to the sports centre so members of the local community could attend. Advertisement Smith – whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith – was initially a figure of sympathy when her daughter went missing. Community members rallied around her and volunteered to help police search for Joshlin in the sand dunes near their poor neighbourhood of shacks close to Saldanha Bay. A photograph of Joshlin smiling and with her hair tied in pigtails was broadcast by news stations across South Africa during the hunt for her. Smith said she had left Joshlin with Appollis on the day she disappeared, but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested. A woman gave evidence during the trial that Smith had told her she and the two men had sold Joshlin for around £750 to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts. Advertisement The judge's verdict did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her, but said she had been sold for slavery or practices similar to slavery.
