The seventh day of the trial of Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appolis, and Stevano van Rhyn took a significant turn at the Western Cape High Court in Saldahna Bay as a social worker testified about the abuse and neglect Kelly inflicted on her children due to drug use. The trio is standing trial for the alleged kidnapping and human trafficking of Kelly’s six-year-old daughter, Joshlin, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Earlier Reports of Abuse and Neglect
Siliziwe Mbambo, a social worker from the Department of Social Development, took the stand, revealing that Kelly Smith’s family had raised concerns about her behavior as early as February 2016. According to Mbambo, Kelly’s grandmother had reported that Kelly was neglecting her eldest child, allegedly due to drug use. “The report indicated that she swore at the child and even threatened to stab him. It was also noted that she threatened to assault her grandmother, and on the same day, the grandmother tried to obtain a protection order against Kelly,” Mbambo explained.
Trauma and Drug Use Amidst Disappearance
Mbambo also shared that, after Joshlin’s disappearance was reported to the police, she reached out to Kelly’s family. She struggled to contact Kelly, who was out searching for her missing daughter. When they finally met on 24 February, five days after Joshlin went missing, Mbambo said Kelly appeared emotionally distressed. “She was traumatised by her child’s disappearance,” Mbambo testified, describing Kelly as being in an emotional state during their conversation.
Kelly Smith, in her conversation with the social worker, explained that Joshlin had not attended school on the day she disappeared because her school uniform had not been washed. During the same discussion, Kelly admitted to drug use, confirming that she last used drugs the same day her daughter went missing. She also revealed that she had previously sought rehabilitation but relapsed into drug use.
The Investigation Deepens
Yesterday, investigating officer Constable Refiloe Sekhobe testified that police had received information suggesting Joshlin was sold to a traditional healer, adding another layer of complexity to the case. Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appolis, and Stevano van Rhyn are facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking, all of which they deny. The trial continues, and the courtroom remains tense as more details of Joshlin’s disappearance and the family’s troubled history emerge.
As the trial unfolds, the shocking allegations of neglect, drug abuse, and human trafficking add weight to the gravity of the case, leaving the courtroom and public in anticipation of what will come next.
