A South African court has sentenced Racquel “Kelly” Smith to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and sale of her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who went missing in February 2024.
Smith’s boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and friend, Steveno van Rhyn, were also handed life sentences for their involvement in the human trafficking plot. In addition, the trio received a concurrent 10-year prison term for kidnapping.
Prosecutors revealed that Smith sold her daughter to a traditional healer, allegedly drawn to Joshlin’s fair skin and eye color, for 20,000 rand (approximately $1,100). The motive was described as both ritualistic and profit-driven.
Despite the sentencing, Joshlin remains missing, and her whereabouts are still unknown, leaving a community and country in anguish over the unresolved disappearance of the young girl.
The case has sparked widespread outrage and calls for greater protection of children, particularly in vulnerable communities where human trafficking and ritual killings remain a troubling issue.
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