South African court convicts mother of trafficking her 6-year-old daughter

By Siyanda Mthethwa

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African tribunal recovered a parent and 2 accomplices blameworthy connected Friday of kidnapping and trafficking her 6-year-old daughter, successful a lawsuit that gained nationwide attraction since the kid went missing past year.

Joshlin Smith, past 6, disappeared from her location successful the tiny municipality of Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, successful Western Cape state connected February 19, 2024 and a nationwide hunt began. She has not been found.

Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, her fellow Jacquen Apollis and their person Steveno Van Rhyn were accused of selling the kid for a fee. A justice astatine the Western Cape High Court recovered each 3 blameworthy of kidnapping and trafficking connected Friday.

"The behaviour of ... Ms Smith is not that of a acrophobic parent. And wherefore not? In my caput the lone inference is that you knew (what happened)," said Judge Nathan Erasmus connected Friday, addressing Smith, who sat successful the courtroom but did not speak.

In a lawsuit that shocked South Africa, 1 of the witnesses had said successful tribunal that Smith told her she had sold her girl to a sangoma, oregon accepted healer, for 20,000 rand ($1,100) and that the miss was desired for her "eyes and skin".

The justice did not accidental successful his ruling who the miss was sold to oregon why.

The 3 convicted volition beryllium remanded successful custody up of sentencing.

($1 = 18.3833 rand)

(Reporting by Siyanda Mthethwa; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Alex Richardson)