Kelly Smith’s home set on fire following guilty verdict – public wants to know who she sold young daughter to

by Nomonde Simelane

After receiving a guilty verdict for her role in the disappearance of her six-year-old daughter, Kelly Smith’s home was set on fire, as frustrated community members demanded answers regarding who the toddler was trafficked to, in hopes of still finding her alive.

Kelly Smith, along with her co-accused Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, have been handed guilty verdicts by Judge Nathan Erusmus for one count of human trafficking and another for kidnapping, for the role in the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith. This horrific case took South Africa by storm, as the public was intrigued by its strange nature and wanted answers as to what happened to the toddler, and whether or not the mother was involved.

Mere hours after Kelly Smith and co were convicted, Kelly Smith’s home, the same one Joshlin was raised in, was set alight by angry community members who had been keeping up with the case. According to Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie, the SAPS have opened a case of arson, and have taken an adult female into custody in connection with the case.

“We can confirm that Saldanha SAPS registered an Arson case for investigation after Kelly Smith’s Middelpos dwelling was destroyed by a fire. An adult female had been taken in for questioning,” the enforcement officer says.

Despite the guilty verdict, some members of the public, including Kelly’s own mother as well as prominent political figure Mbuyise Ndlozi, have expressed that they believe that the job is not done, as Kelly still has to reveal who or where she sold her daughter to, in order to really put the matter to rest.

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