Police have confirmed that the suspects - believed to be four at this stage - who were taken into custody for the disappearance of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith will appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning.
The charges against the suspects are not known at this stage.
Western Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the matter pertaining to the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith will be heard in the Vredenburg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 9am.
Potelwa said the Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile and the Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen would be in attendance.
On Wednesday morning, police confirmed four suspects were taken in for questioning.
The suspects, two men and two women are aged between 26 and 34.
Residents in the area continued to search for Joshlin on Wednesday despite news of the arrests. They searched from early morning until late into the afternoon, determined to find the young girl.
The case has been handed over to the Western Cape detectives division to investigate amid mass local and international interest.
On Tuesday, a source revealed to IOL News that a suspect had been arrested after a confession. The suspect is understood to have told police that Joshlin was sold to a woman for around R20,000.
The suspect taken into police custody is believed to be close to Joshlin.
Police did not respond to inquiries regarding this information and did not confirm or deny the R20,000 amount reportedly paid by the woman for Joshlin.
At the time of Joshlin’s disappearance, her mother, Kelly Smith told police that when she had returned home after being out for the day, she had looked for the child but could not find her.
She later got hold of her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, who was supposed to look after Joshlin, but he could not account for her whereabouts.
Joshlin was last seen wearing a light blue T-shirt and light blue denim shorts. She also has a birthmark located on her left arm.
Anyone with information, regarding the whereabouts of the Joshlin, is requested to contact the investigation officer, Sergeant Millstine of Vredenburg FCS at 079 879 8588 or Crime Stop at 086 001 0111.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL News