The trio who were found guilty of kidnapping and trafficking missing Joshlin Smith - Racquel "Kelly" Smith, Jacquin "Boeta" Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn - appeared at the Western Cape High Court on Friday.
Judge Nathan Erasmus said the state intended leading
evidence contained in victim impact statements, reports from social workers and
expert evidence on human trafficking. He said the reports could take up to six
week to prepare but added he would request they be expedited.
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PICTURE: PixabayErasmus said the trial would be postponed to 23 May to be
transferred back to the multipurpose centre in Saldanha. The court also
provisionally confirmed that the matter would resume in Saldanha on 27 May,
where evidence will be presented and arguments in mitigation and aggravation
will be heard over two days, with sentencing to take place on Thursday, 29 May.
The court heard the trio would be detained at Pollsmoor
correctional facility in Cape Town.
Joshlin, then aged six, disappeared from home at the
Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay on 19 February 2024.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson said the state
planned to present victim impact statements from members of the community
affected by the case.
"After that we will call an expert in trafficking in
persons, who will give his expert opinion via Zoom because the person is not in
the Western Cape. We can expect the defence to call witnesses but cannot say
they will because they did not indicate that in court, but they are free to do
so,’’ said Eric Ntabazalila, NPA spokesperson in the Western Cape.
Police confirmed that investigations continue in finding
the little girl
Done by: Mitchum George
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