A South African woman, her partner, and an accomplice have been handed life sentences for the heinous crime of selling her six-year-old daughter to a traditional healer, or sangoma, for mutilation. The woman, identified as Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn, were found guilty more than a year after the child, Joshlin Smith, disappeared from her residence near Cape Town.
Initially, Smith was perceived as a bereaved mother, with pictures of the missing child, distinguished by her green eyes and radiant smile, widely disseminated across the country. However, public sentiment quickly turned against Smith as the chilling reality of the situation came to light. Smith displayed no emotion when her sentence was announced, concluding an eight-week trial that had to be moved to a local stadium to accommodate the stunned community members.
Smith admitted to selling her daughter to the sangoma for 20,000 rand (around $1,100). A court witness disclosed that the child was specifically targeted for her “eyes and skin.” Despite a nationwide search since her disappearance in February 2024, Joshlin’s remains have not been discovered.
The court learned that the trio sold the child to support their drug habits. Smith, a mother of three, was portrayed as manipulative, showing “no indication of remorse” or concern for her daughter’s disappearance, according to Judge Nathan Erasmus. In addition to their life sentences, all three were sentenced to a concurrent 10 years imprisonment for kidnapping.
Judge Erasmus also directed that the defendants’ names be added to the child protection register, stating, “There is nothing that I can find that is redeeming and deserving of a lesser sentence than the harshest I can impose.” The courtroom erupted in cheers as the verdict was announced.
Joshlin’s distraught grandmother, Amanda Smith Daniels, attended the court proceedings, wearing a shirt adorned with images of her granddaughter. During the initial search for Joshlin, a government minister had offered a one-million-rand reward (approximately $54,000) for her safe return.
Witnesses, including the girl’s former teacher and a pastor, testified that Smith had revealed plans to sell her child as early as 2023. The search for Joshlin has now expanded beyond South Africa’s borders.
South Africa has one of the highest crime rates worldwide, with child kidnapping rates on the rise. In the past year, over 17,000 kidnappings were reported, marking an 11% increase from the previous year, according to police statistics.