Joslin Smith: Investigative Officer Suspected That 3 Suspects Were Lying

• The South African Police Service (SAPS) 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
• The trial continued into a second week in the Western Cape High Court sitting in a circuit court in the Saldanha Bay community

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, the police officer investigating the case testified to doubting the three suspects' claims of innocence.

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What did the detective say?

Detective Sergeant Meyer Milstein, a detective with the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, on Monday, 10 March 2025, took the stand to continue his testimony as the state's fourth trial witness.

Joslin's mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis and the couple's friend, Steveno van Rhyn, face kidnapping and human trafficking charges.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges at the start of the trial on 3 March.

Milstein, who from the beginning theorised the trio weren't being upfront with the truth, said his team followed several leads pointing to possible sightings of the missing girl. However, after probing, these proved to be false alarms.

During an interrogation, van Rhyn told the police that Joslin was sold for muti (traditional medicine). He followed up on van Rhyn's claims and found nothing substantial. Eventually, he concluded that the trio could be lying.

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What has been happening in Joslin's trial?

On day one of the trial, the court heard that Kelly showed no urgency in helping find her daughter. Constable Yanga Gongotha, as the State's first witness, was one of the first officers to respond to the call about a missing Joslin.

Gongotha detailed his encounter with a visibly unfazed Kelly, after which she took him to meet Appollis. The latter stated that he was engaged in using drugs with friends, and left Joslin to play outside.

The officer also noted that Kelly appeared unfazed and unconcerned about her daughter's whereabouts during that first encounter.

Instead, she asked him about a gas canister that needed to be filled.

On the trial's second day, Constable Luzuko Kobese testified and provided a breakdown of the statement Kelly gave the police shortly after Joslin went missing. Kobese was one of the first officers to respond to the missing call.

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He said Appollis and Kelly seemingly disagreed about the child's disappearance. Kobese added that Appollis also refused to answer the questions he was asked. Kelly also changed her story and hesitated to respond to further questions.

What you need to know about Joslin Smith's disappearance

• A timeline detailing Joslin's disappearance provides a look into the mystery surrounding the six-year-old's last known movements.
• Joslin disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, and the police launched a manhunt.
• Her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, 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.
• On 28 February 2025, it was reported that CCTV footage sparked hope that Joslin Smith is alive, but doubts remain over the claims.
• Just a few weeks later, Kelly Smith, Joslin's mother, confessed to doing drugs on the day the six-year-old disappeared.

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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.

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