A South African woman was sentenced to life imprisonment along with two accomplices for trafficking her then-6-year-old daughter, which put South Africa in trouble and attracted international attention after she disappeared last year.

Racquel "Kelly" Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno Van Rhyn were convicted of kidnapping and trafficking of Joshlin Smith, who disappeared from her home in a small town in Cape in February 2024.

During the trial, a witness said Smith told her she had sold her daughter to Sangoma, a traditional therapist, for rand 20,000 (£830).

Another pastor said Smith told him in 2023 that she planned to sell her daughter.

"There is nothing more severe than the harshest redemption and due sentences I have imposed." Erasmus also sentenced the three to a 10-year kidnapping sentence, concurrent with the life sentence for human trafficking, and ordered their names to be entered into the Child Protection Register.

Erasmus said the fact that Smith, Apolis and Van Ron were drug users is not an excuse, and described Smith as "a manipulating and manipulating the fact that suits you."

"(You) forced your parents to blame your parents for their actions," the judge said during the sentencing in Saldanha Bay, a fishing town 85 miles north of Cape Town. "There is evidence that the disappearance of your own daughter is obvious. Also, on some occasion and yesterday, I saw no signs of remorse, but that didn't start because we knew there was a lack of attention since February 19, 2024."

Smith's mother, Amanda Daniels, attended the verdict, wearing a white T-shirt with Joshlin's face on it. The day before, a court official read the victim’s impact statement on her behalf, describing her “crying” on Mother’s Day earlier in May.

Daniels said: "Kelly, you have made our lives in hell on earth. I feel like my heart is being torn off my body. You have broken (this family).

Daniels is now caring for two other children of Smith, of whom Joshlin is the middle child and says she has been worried that they will also go missing.

South African police said they have expanded Joshlin abroad. Shortly after the disappearance, Gayton McKenzie, the populist, the Minority Patriotic Alliance Party and now the leader of the Minister of Sports and Culture, gave her a reward of R1 million (£42,000) for her safe return.

According to South African police, kidnappings have soared recently in South Africa, with the number of kidnappings soaring in the 12 months on March 31, 2024, almost tripled three years ago.

France - France and Reuters contribute to this story