Cape Town – Kelly Smith’s sister, Mickeyla Daniels, testified in the Western Cape High Court on Monday, revealing that a week after Joshlin Smith’s disappearance, Kelly claimed the child was still in the Middlepos informal settlement.
During her testimony, Daniels, a police officer based in Upington in the Northern Cape, said that a week after Joshlin went missing, Kelly claimed the child was still in the Middlepos informal settlement.
“I called Kelly on WhatsApp and I asked her where is Joshlin, she answered and said my child is here in the informal settlement, someone wanted to sell my child but it’s too heated,” she said.
Daniels recounted how Kelly initially seemed distressed but later appeared unconcerned, discussing new clothes given to her other children by Gayton Mackenzie.
The trial of Joshlin Smith’s disappearance is underway in Saldanha Bay, where Kelly, Jacquin “Boeta” Appolis, and Steven van Rhyn are facing kidnapping and human trafficking charges.
The court is hearing witness testimonies to uncover what happened to Joshlin, who went missing over a year ago.
Lombaard, who was previously the fourth accused in the case, had charges dropped against her and she turned state witness. She made her first court appearance on Friday and was back in court on Monday morning.
She made a big revelation when she told the court that Kelly confessed that Joshlin was wanted for her “eyes and skin”.
[WATCH] State witness Laurentia Lombard says Joshlin Smith’s mother, Kelly Smith, confessed to her that the person who took the girl wanted her “eyes and skin”.#Newzroom405pic.twitter.com/K5gtUQ1nfF
“Rens, I know what I did with Joshlin and then she mentioned to me that someone is paying me to remain quiet. I asked her who the person was, but she never answered,” Lombaard said.
“The person who wanted Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and her skin. After that Friday, I didn’t see Kelly.”
Lombaard was asked whether she had enquired about the money she was owed but said that she had not received it.