Update | 19 June, :
Attorneys for the three convicted in the Joshlin Smith trial filed notices this week for leave to appeal their convictions and sentences, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The trio, Joshlin’s mother Kelly ‘Racquel’ Smith, boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and friend Steveno van Rhyn, were sentenced to life imprisonment, with an additional ten years each, for the human trafficking and kidnapping of the missing six-year-old.
They are currently in their third week of serving their life sentences in prison.
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, confirmed the notice to EWN, stating that the NPA is awaiting a date from Judge Nathan Erasmus, who presided over the Joshlin Smith trial.
‘We have received notices from defence for application for leave to appeal,’ the publication quoted Ntabazalila as saying.
‘We acknowledged receipt and indicated that we await a date from judge for hearing of the applications for leave to appeal and for the 204 enquiries.’
In another article, the publication added that, as per Ntabazalila, the NPA was also waiting for a date for the 204 inquiry to determine whether former accused-turned-State-witness Lorentia Lombaard should be granted indemnity for her role in Joshlin’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, little Joshlin remains missing since 19 February 2024, with no official indication that she is close to being found.
Three individuals convicted in the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith have been handed life sentences for human trafficking, along with an additional 10 years each for kidnapping, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Kelly ‘Racquel’ Smith Joshlin’s mother, her boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were all convicted and handed life sentences on Thursday morning.
The ruling, delivered by the Vredenburg Regional Court in the Western Cape on Thursday, brings a measure of justice in a case that has gripped the nation since Joshlin vanished from her home in Saldanha Bay earlier this year.
The court found overwhelming evidence proving their involvement in luring and removing Joshlin from her family under false pretences.
While Joshlin’s body has yet to be found, the prosecution argued that the accused had knowingly participated in a premeditated act of human trafficking, driven by profit. The 10-year sentences for kidnapping will run concurrently with the life sentences.
Joshlin’s disappearance shocked the country and sparked widespread searches, vigils, and public appeals. Her case has become a symbol of the growing crisis of missing children in South Africa.
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Picture: Jaco Marais / Gallo Images
