Shocking admission: accused confesses to lying under oath in Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial
In a startling turn of events at the Western Cape High Court in Saldanha Bay, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, the first accused in the gripping Joshlin Smith kidnapping case, shocked the courtroom by confessing to lying under oath.
During a tense cross-examination, Appollis admitted to fabricating crucial details in his testimony, including a harrowing claim that he and his co-accused, Steveno van Rhyn, were forced to make false confessions under extreme police torture. The confessions, which implicate both the accused and Joshlin’s own mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, in the girl’s mysterious disappearance, are at the heart of a fierce legal battle over whether they should be allowed in the trial.
Appollis boldly claimed he was coerced into inventing a bizarre and chilling story, including a plot to sell Joshlin for R20,000 to a woman named “Maka Lima,” all under duress from the police.
He admitted to fabricating these details to make the tale more believable, all while fearing for his life. The shocking admission raises serious questions about the credibility of the confessions.
In a dramatic courtroom showdown, the defense argues the confessions were beaten out of the accused, alleging brutal physical abuse, including suffocation. However, the prosecution and police, armed with medical experts Dr. Hendrik Nel and Tanya Zimri, argue the confessions were voluntary, pointing to a lack of physical injuries.
The State’s case gains further momentum with witness Lourentia Lombaard’s explosive testimony, alleging that Smith, Appollis, and Van Rhyn sold Joshlin to a sangoma, deepening the shock surrounding the case.
Judge Nathan Erasmus now faces the monumental task of deciding whether these contested confessions can be used to support the grave charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
As the trial continues to unfold, the courtroom is on edge, with each new revelation adding to the growing sense of disbelief. Will justice prevail, or will the truth remain shrouded in a web of lies and deception? Only time will tell.
