‘Kelly told me nothing about money’: video footage of alleged confession by Jacquin ‘Boeta’ Appollis

The trial within a trial trying to assess the admissibility of the alleged confessions made by some of the accused in the kidnapping and human trafficking case of six-year-old Joshlin Smith heard on Friday that some things heard in a video were allegedly said at the instructions of Joshlin's mother Raquel "Kelly" Smith, including the R20,000 offer made in exchange for the child.

Smith, with her boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn, are accused of being behind the girl's disappearance. 

The trial within a trial is trying to determine if evidence of an alleged assault on Van Rhyn and Appollis would be admissible in the main trial as the accused claimed they were coerced into confessing.

In the video footage of the alleged confession Appollis told Lt-Col Adrian Pretorius that on February 19 2024 at about 12pm Smith returned from work for lunch and told Appollis she had spoken to someone named Makalimo and that he had to take Joshlin to her after she returned to work. 

“Sy het gesê Makalimo gaan my help met ‘n R20,000 en ek moet vir Joshlin om vat [She said Makalimo will give me R20,000 and I must take Joshlin],” said Appollis. 

Appollis was heard to say that before Smith returned to work at about 1pm, Van Rhyn came to the house and thereafter Lourentia “Renz” Lombaard, but they told her they had to leave and Appollis and Van Rhyn told Joshlin to walk with them. 

“Toe kom ons na Makalimo toe sê ek vir Makalimo, 'Kelly het my gesteur'. Makalimo het gesê 'kom in'. Toe gaan ek in maar ek het gestaan, ek het nie gesit nie [We (Van Rhyn, Joshlin and Appollis) arrived at Makalimo and I said, 'Kelly sent me'. Makalimo said we should come inside. I went inside but I did not sit, I stood].

“Ek het vir Makalimo gevra ‘hoe werk die geld storie nou?’, maar sy het gesê sy en Kelly het klaar gepraat [I asked Makalimo ‘how does the money story work now?’, but she said she and Kelly had already spoken].” 

The court heard when Van Rhyn and Appollis left, Joshlin stayed and played with other children.

Appollis said at about midnight he saw Smith had called police officials and reported Joshlin missing. 

“Kelly het my niks gesê van die geld se storie [Kelly never told me anything about the money story],” said Appollis. 

The trial within a trial heard it was important to note Appollis was allegedly told to state he was informed by Smith to take Joshlin to somebody and there had allegedly been negotiations between her and Makalimo. 

The trial continues. 

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