KEY POINTS
- Joshlin’s mother appeared more concerned about her boyfriend than her missing daughter.
- The trial has drawn massive community attention, with police maintaining a heavy presence.
- The defense raised concerns about prison conditions, which will be addressed later.
The trial of Kelly Smith, Steveno van Rhyn, and Jacquen Appollis began in Saldanha, Western Cape, drawing large crowds from the White City community.
The three accused are facing charges of human trafficking and kidnapping in connection with the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who was last seen on February 19, 2024.
During the first day of testimony, Constable Yanga Gongotha, the State’s first witness, described Smith’s lack of concern for her missing daughter.
Instead, she appeared more preoccupied with her boyfriend, Boeta, than with Joshlin’s whereabouts.
According to Gongotha, when police arrived at the scene, Smith did not display distress, instead talking about Boeta more than her child.
Defense raises prison conditions issue
The legal representatives for the accused trio raised procedural concerns before proceedings got fully underway.
Nobahle Mkabayi, the lawyer representing Van Rhyn, informed the court that her client, currently held at Malmesbury Prison, had requested to be transferred out of a single cell to be placed among the general inmate population.
Judge Nathan Erasmus dismissed the request for the time being, stating that there was insufficient evidence to support the transfer. However, the defense attorney plans to formally submit an application to the court in the coming days.
Meanwhile, authorities are holding Smith at the Langebaan SAPS facility. Van Rhyn and Appollis remain in Malmesbury Prison for the duration of the trial.
The officer describes the night of Joshlin’s disappearance
Constable Gongotha responded first to the scene. He testified that community members flagged him down after Smith reported her daughter missing.
Smith claimed that when she arrived home from work, Joshlin was gone. However, Gongotha doubted her urgency. He stated that she seemed more concerned about her boyfriend, Boeta, than her child.
“As we walked around the area looking for Joshlin, Smith appeared unconcerned. She was more interested in Boeta’s whereabouts than asking where her daughter was,” Gongotha testified.
According to IOL, he also revealed that Boeta had been at a house with friends, smoking, on the day Joshlin disappeared.
When the police finally found him, Smith immediately asked about the gas he was supposed to fill. He did not inquire about her missing daughter.
The trial is set to continue, with cross-examination of Constable Gongotha scheduled for Tuesday.
