A South African court on Thursday sentenced a woman to life in prison for kidnapping and selling her 6-year-old daughter, with prosecutors alleging that the girl was sold to a traditional healer for her eyes and fair complexion.
The girl, Joshlin Smith, went missing in February last year from her home in Saldanha Bay, a fishing town 135 kilometers (85 miles) north of Cape Town.
Judge Nathan Erasmus ruled that Smith, 35, along with her boyfriend and a mutual friend, should be jailed for life for human trafficking.
The judge did not say in his ruling who the girl was sold to or why.
The kidnapping of children is on the rise in South Africa, which has one of the highest crime rates in the world.
Prosecutors claim that the 6-year-old girl was sold to a traditional healer because of her eyes and fair complexion, and a South African court sentenced a woman to life in prison on Thursday for kidnapping and selling her daughter.
Joshlin Smith, the girl, disappeared from her home in Saldanha Bay, a fishing village located 135 kilometers (85 miles) north of Cape Town, in February of last year.
At the time, the disappearance prompted a massive nationwide search, and at first, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her mother, received a lot of sympathy from people all over the nation.
Did the court say anything?
Judge Nathan Erasmus decided that Smith, 35, her boyfriend, and a mutual friend should all be sentenced to life in prison for human trafficking.
Additionally, each of them received a concurrent 10-year prison sentence for kidnapping.
The judge also ordered their names to be entered into the child protection register.
He stated, “I cannot find anything that is redeeming and worthy of a sentence less severe than the cruelest I can impose.”.
Smith, who also has two other children, Erasmus said, had “no indication of remorse” for Joshlin’s disappearance.
The fact that all of the defendants used drugs, he added, was not an excuse.
When the verdict was announced, a large number of people in the courtroom, including the girl’s grandmother, cheered.
What accusations did prosecutors make?
The girl was sold, but the judge did not specify who or why in his decision.
Joshlin was allegedly sold to a sangoma, or traditional healer, for 20,000 rand (€993, $1,121), according to the prosecution, who wanted the girl for her “eyes and skin.”. “.”.
Joshlin’s vivid green eyes were visible in pictures that were posted online following her disappearance.
The mother informed him about the 2023 sale, according to a pastor who testified during the trial, which started in March.
South Africa, which has one of the highest rates of crime in the world, is seeing an increase in child abductions.
Farah Bahgat was the editor.
