Loud chants of “Justice for Joshlin” rang out at the Saldanha Bay Multi-purpose Centre on Friday after Kelly Smith—the mother of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith—and her co-accused, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, were found guilty of kidnapping and human trafficking.

The trio will remain in custody for one week before sentencing procedures begin in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town next Friday.

Despite the verdict, authorities have yet to locate Joshlin, who vanished from her Middelpos home in Saldanha in February 2024.

Judge Nathan Erasmus said the conviction was based on key witness testimonies and confession statements made by Appollis and Van Rhyn. He noted that evidence presented by preacher Steven Coetzee and former accused-turned-State witness Lourencia Lombaard was instrumental in corroborating the State’s case.

“The State succeeded in proving the guilt of the accused,” Erasmus stated during Friday’s ruling.