Kelly Smith ‘erupted when fellow accused implicated her in Joshlin’s disappearance’

Captain Wesley Lombard, the investigating officer in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith, told the Western Cape High Court, sitting in Saldanha, how the two co-accused turned against Joshlin’s mother Racquel Smith, better known as Kelly. (Photo: Supplied)

By Vincent Cruywagen

27 Mar 2025

When Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith heard that her boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and friend Steveno van Rhyn blamed her for Joshlin’s disappearance, she allegedly swore and yelled, ‘How could Boeta do this to me? I loved and trusted him.’

Racquel “Kelly” Smith allegedly erupted and started swearing when her boyfriend Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis and friend Steveno van Rhyn told the police they should speak to her to find out what had happened to her missing daughter, Joshlin Smith.

This was part of the startling evidence presented by Captain Wesley Lombard, the investigating officer in Joshlin’s disappearance, to the Western Cape High Court on Thursday, 27 March 2025, sitting at the Saldanha Bay Multipurpose Centre.

smith joshlin lombard Captain Wesley Lombard, the investigating officer in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith, testifies in the Western Cape High Court, sitting in Saldanha. (Photo: Supplied)

The police captain, who took the stand on Wednesday, also detailed how police mobilised 380 personnel to search for Joshlin. The turning point came on 4 March 2024 when Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn were all interviewed by the investigating team late at night.

In the early hours of 5 March 2024, Appollis and Van Rhyn, according to Lombard, told investigators that they needed to ask Smith what happened to Joshlin.

Appollis, Van Rhyn and Smith face charges of human trafficking for exploitation and kidnapping following Joshlin’s 19 February 2024 disappearance from the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay. They’re accused of selling the six-year-old Joshlin to a sangoma, who hasn’t been identified, for R20,000.

Read more: Shocking testimony unveils Kelly Smith’s alleged plot to sell six-year-old daughter Joshlin to a sangoma

The three have pleaded not guilty.

‘How could Boeta do that?’

According to Captain Lombard, Smith was incensed and started swearing when he informed her that Appollis and Van Rhyn told him that he needed to ask Smith, not them, about what happened to Joshlin.

The investigating team brought Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn in for further interrogation at the Sea Border Office in Saldanha Bay, which also housed the offices of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units (FCS). The Sea Border Patrol is a police force that patrols beaches.

They were interrogated separately. Smith was questioned in the FCS office. Lombard received word that Appollis and Van Rhyn wanted to tell the truth.

Their rights were explained to them, but they insisted on making a statement and providing the address of a person of interest.

“That is when I decided to detain the two on the charges of kidnapping and human trafficking. I went to the FCS office and members were still questioning Kelly. I had to intervene. I told Kelly that Boeta and Steveno told me that I must ask her what happened to Joshlin.”

Smith began ranting and swearing. In court on Thursday, when Judge Nathan Erasmus asked Lombard what Smith had said, Lombard said she used the “p” and “n” words.

Lombard further stated that Smith said, “How could Boeta do this to me? I trusted him, I love him.” She repeated this line multiple times.

Read more: Smith denies selling Joshlin, blames Lombaard and her boyfriend Letoni

The police captain also said that during the interrogation, he felt Smith appeared more concerned about Appollis than Joshlin, telling the court that was a mistake.

Lombard said that’s when Smith began raising her voice. He also testified that when Smith had her outburst, the doors to the FCS office opened and Appollis appeared, further infuriating Smith.

She yelled and swore at Appollis, said Lombard. Smith asked Appollis why he had made those comments to the police, to which Appollis replied, “It is you, and please tell the police,” the investigating officer testified.

That’s when, at about 4.30am on 5 March 2024, Lombard decided to arrest Smith on allegations of kidnapping.

Lombard made a further revelation when he told the court that when the investigating team contacted sex workers in the area, they allegedly verified Smith’s alleged involvement in sex work. DM

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‘How could Boeta do that?’