Joslin Smith: Investigative Officer Suspected That 3 Suspects Were Lying

• The South African Police Service officer who investigated Joslin Smith's disappearance suspected that the three suspects were not honest
• Joslin's mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis and Steveno Van Rhyn are on trial for Joslin's disappearance
• The detective spoke on the second day of the trial of Joslin's disappearance and said after questioning them, he concluded that they were lying

With nine years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

SALDANHA BAY, WESTERN CAPE — As Joslin Smith's disappearance trial entered its second week on 10 March 2025, the South African Police Service officer investigating her disappearance doubted the three suspects. He believed that he was lying.

What did the detective say?

Sergeant Meyer Milstein, a detective with the Child Protection Unit, testified as the state's fourth witness in the trial. Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis and Steveno Van Rhyn face kidnapping and human trafficking charges. They pled not guilty to the charges. Detective Milstein said his team followed several possible sightings.

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These were false alarms. After interrogating Van Rhyn, the police were told that Joslin was sold for muti. He followed up on Van Rhyn's claims and found nothing substantial. He then concluded that all three suspects could be lying.

What has been happening in Joslin's trial?

On the trial's first day on 3 March, the court heard that Kelly showed no urgency in helping find her missing daughter when she went missing. The first witness to testify was Constable Yanga Gongotha. He said she was more concerned about filling a gas canister than her daughter's disappearance.

On the trial's second day, Constable Luzuko Kobese testified and provided a breakdown of the statement Kelly gave the police shortly after her daughter went missing. Kobese was one of the first officers to respond to the missing call. He said Apolis and Smith seemingly disagreed about Joslin's disappearance. He added that Appolis also refused to answer some questions he was asked. Kelly also changed her story and hesitated in answering some questions.

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What you need to know about Joslin Smith's disappearance

• Briefly News provided a breakdown of the timeline detailing Joslin's disappearance
• Joslin disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, and the police launched a manhunt
• Her boyfriend, Jacquin Appolis, denied knowing anything about her disappearance and admitted she was with him when she disappeared
• However, less than two months after her disappearance, both were arrested and charged

Police conduct in-loco inspection of Joslin's community

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the trial judge, Nathan Erasmus, ordered the police to conduct an in loco inspection of Diazville, where Joslin disappeared. He also berated Smith for her conduct shortly after Joslin's disappearance.

A police officer testifying during the trial revealed that Kelly said Joslin made her famous. The prosecutor was visibly stunned and asked the testifying officer to confirm what he said. He said she was also calm when he interviewed her.

Source: Briefly News