Kelly Smith refused police accommodation over boyfriend’s exclusion

The three accused in the murder case of Joslin Smith.

2 minutes

A third witness, a Police Station Commander who is testifying at the Circuit High Court in Saldanha, on the Cape West Coast, says Joshlin Smith’s mother, Kelly, refused police accommodation because her boyfriend, accused number one, Jacquen Appolis, could not be accommodated with her.

Lieutenant Colonel Lincoln Sebola says this was a private female accommodation in Vredenburg she was accorded to prepare her for the meeting with former Police Minister Bheki Cele the next day.

Sebola says an alternative accommodation with her and Appolis was then arranged with a community member in Diasville for the night.

The two and the third co-accused, Steveno Van Rhyn, are on trial for the disappearance of seven-year-old Joshlin. They are facing kidnapping and trafficking charges.

The trio pleaded not guilty.

Sebola says Smith acted normally, although her child was missing.

“Although I am not an expert at that, she was acting like it’s normal for her that the child was not there. What worries me is when she indicated that the child has made her famous. She said in her own words,’ my child Joshlin has made me famous’, that made me worried taking it as a parent.”