KEY POINTS
- Defendants claim police tortured them into false confessions.
- Allegations include suffocation, beatings, and death threats.
- Contradictions in Kelly Smith’s testimony raise further concerns.
As the trial for Joshlin Smith’s disappearance continues, disturbing allegations of police brutality have emerged.
The three accused—Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Kelly Smith—have pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
However, their testimonies in court have exposed troubling claims of excessive force and coercion by law enforcement officers.
Defendants describe extreme police torture
Appollis testified that when he was arrested, he was never informed of his rights or given any formal charge.
Instead, he described being subjected to intense torture, including being handcuffed, suspended in the air, and suffocated with a plastic bag over his head.
He recounted how officers allegedly told him, “Today you’ll die,” while beating him repeatedly.
He made his confession after receiving physical abuse because he thought they would persist with the harassment unless he admitted to their demands.
Van Rhyn’s account of his arrest was equally harrowing.
He claimed that police officers abducted him by pretending to offer him a ride. They then took him to a secluded beach and subjected him to violent interrogation methods.
Additionally, he said officers forced a gun into his mouth and pinched his testicles. They also threatened to either burn or drown him if he didn’t comply.
His testimony described how they repeatedly beat him and hung him mid-air. They also suffocated him with a plastic bag until he nearly lost consciousness.
Both men claimed they were warned not to reveal their injuries during their medical examinations or face further violence.
These allegations have raised serious concerns about human rights violations and police misconduct in South Africa.
Contradictions in Kelly Smith’s statements
Kelly Smith’s plea explanation introduced further inconsistencies in the case.
While police records show that she only reported her daughter missing after six hours, she claimed in court that she began searching immediately.
She admitted to smoking drugs with Appollis on the day Joshlin disappeared. This statement contradicted earlier reports that her daughter had stayed home due to illness.
Her testimony revealed that she sent her son to look for Joshlin at the park. She did this after a neighbor informed her that the child had been seen playing there.
Previous testimonies indicated that police became involved after being flagged down while patrolling the area. They did not respond due to any direct contact from Smith.
She maintains her innocence without any doubt despite inconsistent proof.
Trial raises concerns over law enforcement practices
The evidence presented in this legal proceeding has triggered extensive public discussions about police strategies in South Africa.
Allegations of police brutality are not new, with organizations like Amnesty International previously reporting concerns about human rights abuses within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
If these claims are proven, they could severely impact the credibility of the prosecution’s case and raise broader questions about how justice is administered.
The trial is ongoing, and the court is expected to hear further evidence on both the allegations of police torture and the circumstances surrounding Joshlin Smith’s disappearance.
