Testimony moves Joshlin Smith’s mom to tears, while cop raises muti mystery

Up until now, the picture painted of Joshlin Smith’s mother during the proceedings of the Western Cape Circuit High Court sitting in Saldanha Bay, has been that of a woman with seemingly little interest in the welfare of her missing child.

Last week, the court heard of Racquel “Kelly” Smith’s tik binge on the day Joshlin vanished from the Middelpos informal settlement in Diazville just more than a year ago.

In taking to the stand, Saldanha police station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Lincoln Sebola revealed that he allegedly overheard Smith bragging to a police officer that Joshlin “made me famous”.

Then on Friday, Sergeant Meyer Milstein made the bombshell claim that Smith did not take part in any of the searches for her daughter who went missing while in the care of her boyfriend, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, on 19 February 2024.

On Monday, Carlien Zeeger for whom Smith sometimes did domestic work, however testified that Smith was a “good mother” despite all her shortcomings.

Joshlin Smith trial: Kelly was ‘a good mother’

Smith, Appollis and the couple’s friend Steveno van Rhyn have pleaded not guilty to the charges of kidnapping and human trafficking related to the disappearance of Joshlin.

The trio was arrested in March 2024 along with another Middelpos woman, Lourentia “Renze” Lombaard.

The charges against Lombaard were subsequently dropped after she turned the state’s key witness.

READ: Joshlin Smith: Missing Saldanha girl turns 7; charges against Lombaard withdrawn [VIDEO]

On Monday afternoon, Zeegers testified that she had known Smith for more than four years and that Smith’s poverty-stricken circumstances prompted her to help the mother of three.

Court adjourned as Kelly Smith breaks down

Despite all the hardship Smith endured, Zeegers shared with the court that she raised her children with love and was “a good mother”.

“Every day they came to my place and I would give them something to eat. I would ask her to help me out sometimes.”

Upon hearing Zeegers’ words, an emotional Smith broke down, hiding her face behind her hands while sobbing uncontrollably. The court was adjourned for her to compose herself.

Muti motive surfaces again in cop’s testimony

During earlier testimony heard on Monday morning, Constable Refilwe Sekhobe testified that during her initial interview with him, Van Rhyn claimed that Joshlin had been sold to a sangoma for muti.

“He confirmed that he was at Smith and Appollis’ residence on the day Joshlin went missing.

“He also mentioned that Lourentia [Lombaard] was at the premises. What he could recall was that Lourentia left with Joshlin and when she came back, she was alone. That was the last time the child was seen.”

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‘His emotional state was not good’

She added that Van Rhyn seemed emotionally unstable, but provided them with a lead.

“I remember he said that he suspected that Lourentia’s boyfriend might have given the child to a sangoma.

“Mr Van Rhyn’s statement was not obtained on that day. He was a bit emotional and he would be smiling and laughing and all of a sudden he would talk loud, his emotional state was not good. Having learnt that he was also using drugs, I suspect that might be the cause of his behaviour that day,” Sekhobe testified.

“The information was followed up. There wasn’t a specific name given by Mr Van Rhyn as to which sangoma the child had been sold to. We then visited the nearby sangomas in the area, but found no evidence of Joshlin being there.”

Friend testifies about Joshlin Smith’s failed adoption process

Taking to the stand on Monday, Natasha Andrews revealed to the court that she previously attempted to adopt the missing little girl.

Andrews testified that she and Smith knew each other since they were teenagers and that she helped raise Joshlin from when she was a baby.

Andrews said that Kelly would leave her child at her home, sometimes for a long period.

“I have taken care of Joshlin since she was a baby. I have known Kelly for over 20 years as our parents attended the same church.

“When Joshlin was still young, she lived with me, and the eldest child [Joshlin’s brother] lived with her family.

“There wasn’t a specific time she stayed with me; it would be weekends and anytime. The last time she stayed with me was during the December 2023 holidays.”

Andrews told the court that she was in the process of adopting Joshlin.

“Joshlin’s parents [Smith and José Emke] refused while we were already at the social workers’ offices.”

• The trial continues.

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