A young South African girl who disappeared last year aged six was allegedly sought by a traditional healer for her eyes and fair complexion, a court has heard.
This is among the allegations that have emerged at the ongoing trial of Joshlin Smith’s mother, Kelly Smith, who has been accused of orchestrating her kidnapping.
Ms Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn have pleaded not guilty to charges of human trafficking and kidnapping.
Joshlin’s disappearance in February 2024 from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, sent shockwaves across South Africa and despite a highly publicised search for her, she is yet to be found.
Ms Smith initially said that Joshlin, who has a fair complexion and blue-green eyes, had gone missing after she had left her in Mr Appollis’s care.
Prosecutors later accused her of having “sold, delivered or exchanged” the six-year-old and lied about her disappearance.
The trial, which is now in its third week, is being held at a community centre in Saldanha.
During the first week of the trial, the court heard details about the day Joshlin went missing, including that Ms Smith only alerted the police more than six hours after she had first noticed that the young girl had disappeared.
The court also heard that she appeared calm during the frantic search and seemed more concerned about her boyfriend’s whereabouts than the missing child.
More shocking details emerged in the second week.
A local pastor said that as far back as 2023 he had heard Ms Smith – a mother of three – talk of selling her children for 20,000 rand ($1,100, £850) each, though she had said she was willing to accept a lower figure of $275 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjBNO1PqyMw&t=6s
Source – BBC AFRICA
