In a jaw-dropping courtroom confession, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, the first accused in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial, stunned the Western Cape High Court in Saldanha Bay by admitting he lied under oath—casting serious doubt over critical evidence in one of South Africa’s most haunting missing child cases.
During intense cross-examination, Appollis revealed that key parts of his testimony were fabricated, including his claim that he and fellow accused Steveno van Rhyn were tortured into making false confessions by police. He confessed to inventing the story that they had sold Joshlin to a mysterious woman named “Maka Lima” for R20,000, under pressure and fear for his life.
“I made up the details to make the story sound more real,” Appollis told the court, in a stunning reversal of his earlier testimony.
This revelation strikes at the core of the prosecution’s case, which hinges on confessions that also implicate Joshlin’s mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, in a chilling human trafficking plot.
While the defense insists the confessions were extracted through physical abuse and suffocation, the prosecution counters that they were voluntary, citing testimony from medical experts Dr. Hendrik Nel and Tanya Zimri, who found no physical injuries consistent with torture.
The case took yet another shocking turn with the testimony of witness Lourentia Lombaard, who alleged that Smith, Appollis, and Van Rhyn sold Joshlin to a sangoma, deepening the disturbing narrative and public outrage.
With public attention locked on the trial, Judge Nathan Erasmus must now decide whether the disputed confessions will be admissible—a decision that could make or break the case.
As each new testimony peels back another disturbing layer, one question remains: Where is Joshlin Smith, and who is truly responsible for her disappearance.
