Mother, Two Accomplices Jailed for Child Trafficking

Racquel 'Kelly' Smith and her accomplices, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, were sentenced to life imprisonment in South Africa for kidnapping and trafficking Smith's six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who is still missing after her disappearance in February 2024. The court found the trio guilty of selling Joshlin to a traditional healer, or 'sangoma,' reportedly motivated by her fair skin and green eyes, for about 20,000 rand (£850). Witnesses testified that Smith had considered selling her children previously, leading to a shift in public sentiment. The trial was held in a community sports center to accommodate public interest, with Judge Nathan Erasmus emphasizing there was no distinction between the roles of the accused and imposing the harshest sentences. Despite exhaustive efforts, Joshlin remains unaccounted for, and the court was unable to determine her fate or confirm the buyer's identity. The case has drawn national attention to issues of child trafficking, poverty, drug addiction, and the exploitation of traditional beliefs in South Africa.