A young South African girl who had disappeared at the age of six last year was reportedly searched by a traditional healer before her eyes and honest complexion, a court heard.
This is one of the allegations that have arisen in the continuous trial against the mother of Joshlin Smith, Kelly Smith, who is accused of orchestrating her abduction.
Mrs. Smith, her friend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn have argued not guilty of accusations of human trafficking and kidnapping.
Joshlin's disappearance in February 2024 from outside her house in Baldanha Bay, near Cape Town, sent shock waves over South Africa and despite a very published search for her, she still has to be found.
Mrs. Smith initially said that Joshlin, who has an honest complexion and blue -green eyes, was missing after she had left her in the care of Mr Appollis.
Public prosecutors later accused her of “sold, delivered or exchange” of the six -year -old and lied about her disappearance.
The process, which is now in the third week, is held in a community center in Saldanha.
During the first week of the trial, the court heard details about the day Joshlin was missing, including that Mrs Smith only noticed the police more than six hours after she first noticed that the young girl had disappeared.
The court also heard that she seemed calm during the hectic search and seemed to be more concerned about her friend's whereabouts than the missing child.
More shocking details emerged in the second week.
A local pastor said that he had already heard Ms Smith – a three -year -old mother in 2023 about selling her children for 20,000 rand ($ 1,100, £ 850) each, although she had said she was willing to accept a lower number of $ 275.
Joshlin's teacher then claimed in court that Mrs Smith had told her during the search that her daughter was already “on a ship, in a container, and they were on their way to West Africa”.
These revelations faded compared to the explosive details of Lourentia Lombaard, a friend and neighbor of Mrs. Smith, who became the state witness.
She took the position last Thursday and for three days the events in the run -up to the disappearance of Joshlin described in which a traditional healer was involved, known in South Africa as a “sangoma”.
Mrs. Lombaard claimed that her friend confessed her: “I did something crazy … I sold my child to a sangoma”, adding that she was driven by a desperate need for money.
Joshlin's mother promised those who knew about the plan some money in exchange for their silence, said Mrs. Lombaard.
She told the court that she had later witnessed Mrs. Smith Pack some clothes for Joshlin in a black bag, which she then saw wearing while the two walked to meet a woman Mrs. Lombaard thinks it was the Sangoma.
Mother and daughter got into a white car and drove away with the woman, said Mrs. Lombaard.
On Monday spoken, her last day at De Standaard, Mrs. Lombaard told the court that the “person who [allegedly took] Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and skin “.
In the court it was not made clear why a sangoma would like a child like this.
A woman who was supposed to be a traditional healer was initially arrested and sued last year with Mrs. Smith and her co-fused, but the charges against her were eventually withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.
Sangomas are legally recognized in South Africa under the traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007, in addition to herbalists, traditional birth servants and traditional surgeons.
It is believed that ancestral spirits are able to give advice and healing through these culturally respected practitioners.
Some charlatans are involved in unscrupulous traditional so -called healings and it is known that they sell great luck charms with body parts.
Mrs. Lombard expressed sorrow about her role in the disappearance of Joshlin and said that she had tried without success to prevent Mrs. Smith from selling her daughter.
She appealed to the person who had taken the young girl “please bring her back”.
The test is expected to run until March 28.
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