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How police ploy to coax info from Joshlin Smith kidnap accused cracked the case

How police ploy to coax info from Joshlin Smith kidnap accused cracked the case
Sergeant Dawid Fortuin, attached to the police's anti-kidnapping unit was involve in taking down the statements of Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn wherein they claim that Racquel 'Kelly' allegedly asked them to take Joshlin Smith to a person called mS Makalima, on 19 February 2024. (Screengrab: Supplied)
Vincent Cruywagen
By Vincent Cruywagen
7 Apr 2025
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A coordinated strategy of questioning Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, accused in the kidnapping case, led to the breakthrough.

Sergeant Dawid Johannes Fortuin, attached to the anti-kidnapping unit, testified that the strategy used by the investigating team to persuade the two accused, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, to turn against Racquel “Kelly” Smith, the mother of missing Joshlin, was a breakthrough in the case.

Sergeant Dawid Johannes Fortuin. (Screengrab: Supplied)



On Monday, 7 April 2025, Fortuin told the court how he, the lead investigator Captain Wesley Lombard and the head of Serious Violent Crimes in the Western Cape, Brigadier Leon Hanana, used a plan to turn the tide of the investigation into Joshlin’s disappearance on 19 February 2024.

His testimony is part of a trial-within-a-trial before Judge Nathan Eramus. The court, sitting in the Multipurpose Centre in Saldanha Bay, will rule on the admissibility of confessions and allegations of torture levelled by Appollis and Van Rhyn against the police.

Fortuin was not initially involved in the investigation into Joshlin’s disappearance, but he became a major player on 4 March 2024, when he assisted the investigating team in persuading Appollis and Van Rhyn to open up and tell detectives 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.

The state’s case was further strengthened when State witness Laurentia Lombaard testified that Kelly sold Joshlin to a sangoma 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 the ploy worked


According to Fortuin, the plan to persuade Appollis and Van Rhyn to reveal the truth began in the evening of 4 March 2024, and continued until the early hours of 5 March 2024.

The team was interviewing the two and Smith in separate offices at the Sea Border police station. The interview with Smith took place in the office of the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences unit (FCS).

Fortuin explained the ploy as follows: “I moved between offices where Appollis and Van Rhyn were interviewed. I proceeded to Van Rhyn and informed him that if there is foul play, it will be a severe situation. I questioned him several times about what he knew about Joshlin’s disappearance, and he said that I should ask Smith.”

He then asked Van Rhyn if Appollis would know what he was talking about: “His answer to me was, ‘Boeta knows’. 

“I then went over to Appollis and informed him that Van Rhyn claimed that  I must ask Kelly, and that Boeta was allegedly aware of it. Boeta also allegedly mentioned that we should question Kelly.

“The second phase of the ploy was for me to ask Van Rhyn what is going to happen if Kelly and Boeta … stand together against him. With the reply from Van Rhyn, I then moved back to Appollis, and shared the same information with Boeta,” he told the court.

Fortuin said that when he asked Appollis if he knew a person by the name of Makalima, he had noticed his facial expression change to one of worry.

Fortuin testified it was then that the two had decided to make a statement.

Advocate Fanie Harmse, counsel for Appollis, questioned Fortuin about the alleged torture of his client, including whether he had witnessed any torture while moving in and out of the office where Appollis was interviewed.

“No, Lord, I didn’t witness any torture. If it had occurred, it was my responsibility to notify my superiors. When I was at the FSC offices where Kelly was interviewed, I didn’t hear anyone screaming,” he told the court.

The mysterious Makalima


The name Makalima, said to be a sangoma, was again mentioned by Fortuin during his testimony. She is the person to whom Smith is alleged to have agreed to sell Joshlin to for R20,000.

Appollis denies that he was the source of this information referred to in both his and Van Rhyn’s statements.

Read More: Joshlin accused’s statement sparks legal debate: Judge weighs public interest against sealing evidence

According to Fortuin, Van Rhyn first mentioned the name of Makalima, who became a “person of interest”. Makalima was detained for questioning after the statements of Appollis and Van Rhyn. Police thoroughly searched her home, and the dog unit went through her premises. However, no evidence was uncovered linking her to Joshlin’s disappearance.

On who Makalima is, Fortuin told the court that she lived in Middelpos informal settlement, where Kelly and her children resided.

Makalima had been operating a spaza shop in the area, and there were rumours that she was a sangoma.

Asked by Harmse if he was aware that Makalima and Ayanda Letoni, the boyfriend of State witness Laurentia Lombaard, were relatives, Fortuin said, “I’m not aware of that.”

Trial continues in Cape Town


During proceedings on Monday, 7 April, Judge Erasmus repeated that he did not want to waste time, noting that the trial was in its sixth week.

The judge slammed the prosecution after a police witness failed to arrive on time to testify. The witness, according to State prosecutor Aradhana Heeramun, had to complete documentation to enable his air travel.

“As you are aware, I won’t be able to be out of the Cape Town office for lengthy periods for the next two to three months. So I will proceed with the matter in Cape Town,” Judge Erasmus said.

The matter continues. DM

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