Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and Kelly Smith appeared before Judge Nathan Erasmus in the White City Multipurpose Centre in Saldanha Bay, in connection with the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
The State called its first witness in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial taking place at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Saldanha in the Western Cape.
The police officer, who at the time of Joshlin's disappearance was attached to the visible policing unit, explained he was the officer flagged down when the green-eyed girl disappeared.
He said they responded to Middelpos after receiving a complaint about a missing child.
When he got to the area, a woman, later to be identified as Kelly Smith (Joshlin's mother) explained she could not find her child.
"When we arrived at the place, two women stopped us. One was Xhosa and the other Coloured," he told the court.
"They were a distance from us and it appeared they were having a good time. She said when she came home from work, her child was missing."
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Judge Nathan Erasmus asked the witness to elaborate on 'good time', and he said the house they came from was playing music and lots of people were inside.
The Constable said Kelly stated that she had left her child with her boyfriend, 'Boeta', who she lives with.
Boeta, real name Jacquen Appollis is also on trial.
"We asked her when last she saw Boeta and at this stage we told her to accompany us. When we got to the home, no one was home," he explained.
The police officer said they further inquired about Joshlin's friends and places she usually played.
They took Kelly to the house of children who Joshlin usually played with, but it was in vain as no one had seen her.
When asked to explain Kelly's demeanour, the officer said: "As we were walking. She did not appear to look worried about her missing child.
"The most important thing for her was the boyfriend, not the child. She showed no emotion. She spoke more about the boyfriend than the child".
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He further testified how they drove around in the informal settlement and continued asking around about Joshlin when load shedding struck at 10pm.
He said they went all over and everywhere seemed to be a dead end. Eventually, with Kelly still accompanying the officers, they managed to track down 'Boeta'.
"When Kelly saw Boeta, she went to him. She appeared more concerned about Boeta than Joshlin. She asked Boeta about the gas he had to fill during the day. She was at ease when she saw Boeta. At that stage, she had not asked him about Joshlin," the constable said.
"While she was talking I intervened and asked him when last he saw the child. He said he and his friends were smoking at the house during the day before the child disappeared."
Kelly Smith appeared before Judge Nathan Erasmus in the White City Multipurpose Centre in Saldanha Bay, in connection with the disappearance of her daughter Joshlin Smith.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
Kelly, Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn face charges of kidnapping and trafficking in persons. As the witness was testifying, the trio sat listening attentively, with Kelly making notes during proceedings.
Joshlin disappeared on February 19, 2024.
The trial continues.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL
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