A mother has been given a life sentence after selling her six-year-old daughter – who is still missing.
Racquel “Kelly” Smith was convicted of kidnapping and trafficiking along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn.
Little Joshlin Smith, who has a fair complexion and turquoise eyes, disappeared last February after vanishing outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town.
A court heard during the six-week trial how she was sought out by a ‘healer’ for her ‘light eyes and skin’, with the mother reportedly only receiving around £800 for her.
‘On the human trafficking charge, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the kidnapping charge, you are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment,’ Judge Nathan Erasmus told the trio.
He said he ‘drew no distinction’ from eachother in their evil crime and the cold-hearted group showed no emotion as their sentences were read out.
The shocking trial has captivated South Africa for the last few months with Joshlin still missing despite a major search operation.
Lourentia Lombaard, Smith’s friend and neighbor, said that in the days before Joshlin disappeared, the mother confessed to her that she had sold her child to a ‘sangoma’ – a traditional healer.
Ms Lombaard said she later saw Smith pack some of Joshlin’s clothing into a black bag, which she was carrying when she met a woman she believes was the sangoma.
Smith climbed into a white car with Joshlin and the sangoma and they drove away, according to Lombaard.
A woman believed to be the sangoma was arrested alongside the other defendants last year, but the charges against her were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Sangomas are recognized in South Africa under the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007. It is believed they can access ancestral spirits who guide their healing.
The court also heard from a local pastor who said that he heard Kelly, who has three children, talk about selling them for 20,000 rand, which is the equivalent of £827.
In March, police said children’s clothing had been recovered near the settlement of small houses where Joshlin lived and was sent to a laboratory for forensic examination.
Community members who are also involved in the search said the clothing was spattered with blood and a knife was also found. Police didn’t give any more details on what was discovered.
Western Cape province police commissioner Thembisile Patekile told reporters during the trial that more arrests could be made, but authorities also had to re-focus on the search for Joshlin.
‘At this stage, we do not have a child,’ he said. ‘Our ultimate goal is to find the child. We still want to find that child alive.’
This is a breaking story, more to follow.