The house once shared by missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith and her mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, was reduced to ashes on Friday evening, 2 May, mere hours after Kelly and two co-accused were found guilty of kidnapping and trafficking the child.
Kelly Smith was convicted alongside her boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn. Judge Nathan Erasmus’s verdict, handed down at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, marked a major development in a case that has deeply unsettled the Saldanha Bay community and drawn widespread national attention.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed that the residence in Middelpos, Saldanha, was set ablaze shortly after the court’s ruling today, and a woman was arrested in connection with the fire.
Outside the court, Western Cape Police Commissioner General Thembisile Patekile reaffirmed that efforts to locate Joshlin are ongoing.
Judge Erasmus ruled that key state witness Lourentia ‘Renz’ Lombaard will not be granted witness indemnity as yet; instead, her evidence will be led in the next phase of the trial to find Joshlin.
Joshlin was reported missing on 19 February 2024, prompting an extensive search operation and a prolonged investigation, which ultimately led to the arrests and convictions of the three accused.
The court proceedings are set to return to Saldanha for sentencing, with all three individuals remaining in custody in the interim. The next court date has been scheduled for 9 May 2025.
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Judgement day: Kelly Smith & accused found guilty in Joshlin Smith case
Picture: Social Media
