The disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith took a new turn as popular TikToker Shakeerah ‘Shakes Warrior’ Ganief testified in court, revealing troubling details about the child’s mother, Kelly Smith.
Speaking at the Western Cape High Court’s special sitting in Diazville, Saldanha Bay, Ganief stated that Kelly had repeatedly told her to stop searching for Joshlin. She described Kelly as defensive and dismissive when asked about the missing child, raising concerns about her behavior in the early days of the investigation.
Ganief, who has been involved in several missing children cases, traveled from Cape Town after receiving a call about Joshlin’s disappearance. She recalled her first video call with Kelly on February 20, just two days after the child went missing.
“The conversation was unsettling. She was vague in her responses, and she didn’t seem like a mother whose child was missing,” Ganief told the court.
According to her testimony, Kelly became particularly aggressive when asked about her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, who was later arrested along with Kelly and two others. Ganief noted that Kelly’s defensive reaction stood out, especially when she stated, “I’m the evil one between the two of us. Whenever I wanted to hit the children, Boeta would stop me.”
Another detail that raised suspicion was the state of Kelly’s hands. Ganief testified that they appeared excessively dirty, as if she had been “digging in the dirt,” despite her claiming to have just cleaned the house.
The TikToker also recounted how Kelly refused to join the search efforts. “On February 21, I asked Kelly to help look for Joshlin, but she told us to stop searching and let the police do their job,” Ganief said, adding that she remained in Saldanha Bay until April, determined to help find the missing child.
As the trial continues, Ganief’s testimony adds another layer of complexity to the case, further fueling public interest and debate over what really happened to Joshlin Smith.
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