Trial Unfolds in Disturbing Case of Missing South African Girl Joshlin Smith**

The ongoing trial of Kelly Smith, accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of her daughter Joshlin, reveals alarming details, including a traditional healer's alleged interest in the child's eyes and skin. Despite efforts to locate her, Joshlin remains missing.**

A deeply unsettling trial is taking place in South Africa concerning the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who went missing in February 2024. Allegations have surfaced indicating that her mother, Kelly Smith, may have sold her daughter to a traditional healer for nefarious reasons, including a claimed desire for the child's eyes and fair skin. This shocking revelation emerged during the third week of the ongoing court proceedings.

Alongside Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and friend Steveno van Rhyn are also facing charges of human trafficking and kidnapping. All three have pleaded not guilty. Joshlin's disappearance from Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, has widely garnered attention, prompting an extensive search that has yet to bear fruit. Initially, Smith claimed her daughter went missing while she was under Appollis's care.

However, prosecutors accuse Smith of deceit, asserting she may have been involved in selling her daughter rather than merely reporting her missing. Testimonies presented in court revealed troubling details, including that Smith alerted authorities more than six hours after discovering Joshlin was gone and appeared unfazed during the initial search efforts.

As the trial progressed, additional alarming testimonies unfolded. A local pastor recounted how Smith had once expressed a willingness to sell her children for financial gain, while Joshlin's teacher relayed Smith's claims that her daughter was already "on a ship, inside a container" bound for West Africa.

Among the most shocking revelations came from Lourentia Lombaard, a close friend of Smith, who testified that Smith confessed to selling her child to a sangoma—a traditional healer. Lombaard claimed she had witnessed Smith preparing Joshlin's belongings and meeting with a woman believed to be the healer.

Lombaard, now a state witness, expressed deep remorse for being unable to prevent the alleged sale, pleading for the return of Joshlin alive. Meanwhile, the trial is expected to continue until March 28, as the search for the missing girl remains distressingly unresolved.

The case has raised concerns about the exploitation of traditional practices for criminal intent, highlighting the need for vigilance against unscrupulous so-called cures linked to traditional healers. As South Africa grapples with the implications of this horrifying case, advocates are urging society to recognize and address the grim realities of child trafficking and exploitation.