Resident says Saldanha Bay community won't be happy until truth about what happened to Joshlin Smith revealed
The Saldanha Bay community has expressed mixed feelings after missing girl Joshlin Smith's mother and her accomplices were handed life sentences on Thursday for the little girl's disappearance.
FILE: Community members gathered outside the Vredenburg Magistrates court on 15 July 2024 as missing Joshlin Smith's mother and three others accused of being involved in her disappearance made another appearance. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
SALDANHA BAY - The Saldanha Bay community has expressed mixed feelings after missing girl Joshlin Smith's mother and her accomplices were handed life sentences on Thursday for the little girl's disappearance.
Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn were sentenced in the White City Multipurpose Centre which had been proclaimed a high court for the trial.
Presiding Judge Nathan Erasmus said that the impact of Joshlin's disappearance on the community was one of the factors he considered before making his ruling.
Saldanha Bay resident Nabeelah Abdul, who is a mother of five, said that she expected a harsher sentence for Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn.
"Personally, as a mother of five, I feel that the sentence was maybe too light even. Life sentence... According to our law that's what you get right? But to be honest with you, I'm probably one of the people who feels the death penalty should come back."
Another Saldanha Bay mother, Stephanie Bartlett, said that Joshlin's disappearance and the trial was a sad case for the entire community.
"It was fair and justice has been served but, unfortunately, the sad part is justice hasn't been served for Joshlin."
Bartlett said the community would not be happy until the truth about what happened to Joshlin was revealed.