Joshlin Smith Case: Four suspects in court today
7 March 2024 | SANews
PM UPDATE
Four suspects implicated in the disappearance of six-year-old Joslin Smith made a short appearance at Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape today.
The suspects, Jacquen Rowhan Appollis, Steveno Dumaizio van Rhyn, Racquel Chantel Smith and Phumza Sigaqa appeared in court facing charges of trafficking persons for the purposes of exploitation and kidnapping.
Joslin, from Diazville in Saldanha Bay, went missing on 19 February 2024 while in the care of her mother’s boyfriend.
The case was postponed to 13 March 2024 for bail information.
EARLIER REPORT:
Four suspects who were taken into custody for the disappearance of Joshlin Smith (6) will appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court today.
Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile and the Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen will be in attendance.
Detectives in the Western Cape were questioning four individuals yesterday as part of an extensive investigation that saw a team of detectives visiting several places within the West Coast town of Saldanha Bay and interviewing several other persons.
The search for Joshlin brought individuals, NGOs, community activists, police officials, neighbourhood watches and representatives from different spheres of government together in the quest to find the missing girl. For days they searched identified vast areas.
It is expected that as the investigation unfolds, light will be shed on her whereabouts or what happened to her.
The four persons being interviewed by the team of investigators are two men and two women aged between 26 and 34. With the investigation gaining momentum arrests are on the cards,” said the police in a statement yesterday.
Early this week, the South African Police Service (SAPS) assured the community where Joshlin went missing that they remain committed to finding the little girl and reuniting her with her family.
Police Minister General Bheki Cele on Saturday met with the family, as well as the residents of the broader Saldanha community.
Joshlin has been missing since 19 February 2024.
Meanwhile, a massive search involving around 700 people continues in the west coast town.
