Joshlin Smith case: Kelly Smith's lawyer accuses State witnesses of 'seeking the limelight'

The lawyer representing Kelly Smith, mother of missing child Joshlin Smith, has accused State witnesses of trying to get into the limelight and increasing their 'likes' on social media through their testimony in court.

Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith’s lawyer Rinesh Sivnarain said both Nico Steven Coetzee and popular TikToker Shakeerah ‘Shakes Warrior’ Ganief both wanted to gain popularity.

The state witnesses resumed with their testimonies on Thursday morning in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the White City Multipurpose Centre, Diazville, Saldanha Bay.

Joshlin went missing from her Middelpos home on 19 February while in the care of Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis.

Appollis admitted that he was using drugs (crystal methamphetamine (tik)), with the couple’s friends Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn and former accused Laurentia Lombaard, who is a state witness.

On Wednesday Ganief showed videos to the court where Kelly appeared dancing while the Temple Boys (artists) were performing for the children after her daughter vanished. She said Kelly showed no signs that her young child was missing.

Ganief had also told the court that Kelly seemed disinterested and also had an attitude especially when asked about Boeta.

Sivnarain asked Ganief how many likes she had before Joshlin’s disappearance.

“I was informed by someone in Saldanha Bay that a child was missing and I would go on TikTok live to bring awareness about the disappearance of Joshlin. It was not for the likes.

“And there were more likes throughout the process, even after Gayton McKenzie’s Facebook live.”

The lawyer also said Coetzee realised how much Joshlin’s case gained media attention and that he might have been trying to get limelight.

“This matter attracted a lot of media attention, maybe you saw this as an opportunity to get into the limelight.”

The witness denied this. Two more witnesses, who Coetzee claimed he spoke to about the conversation he had with Kelly about plans to sell her kids, also testified on Thursday.

His employer, Thersia Kruger confirmed that Coetzee told her that Kelly said in January or February that Middelpos would be like a movie scene.

Vredenburg Magistrates Court Control Prosecutor Jacques van Zyl who dealt with the matter a few times, told the court that Coetzee had informed him of Kelly’s plans that she had shared with Coetzee in August 2023.

“It was interesting about the timing that this was told to him. It looked like it was planned a long time before. I spoke to the investigating officer. I told them it would be important to speak to Mr. Coetzee.”

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za