A look back at Joshlin Smith case - 1 year since her disappearance

It’s a story that made global headlines. Wednesday marked exactly a year since the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.

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Six-year-old Joshlin Smith, a Grade 1 learner from Saldahna Bay was first reported missing on 19 February 2024 and was last seen wearing a light blue T-shirt and light blue denim shorts.

At the time, according to police reports, Joshlin was left at home with the mother’s boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, to look after her as she allegedly was not feeling well. Later the afternoon, when the mother Racquel Chantel Smith also known as Kelly, returned from work, her daughter was not home. She asked about the whereabouts of the child but could not find her. She later got hold of her boyfriend who was supposed to look after the child, but he was unable to account for her whereabouts

COURTESY: Social media

On 7 March 2024, four suspects appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court, Two of the suspects that appeared in court were Joshlin's mother and the mother's boyfriend - The other two suspects are Steveno van Rhyn, Phumza Sigaqa. Charges has since been withdrawn against Siqaza, as she was initially arrested after one of the other accused alleged she had “bought” Joshlin Smith for R20 000, an accusation she denied.

Later that month, another accused was arrested and appeared in Court.

Prosecutors says a confession led to the 32-year-old's Lourentia Lombaard’s arrest. However, the State dropped charges against her in October. She has now turned into a State witness in the case.

Fast forward to January 2025, where a pre-trial hearing was set to be heard at the Western Cape High Court, however a heavily pregnant Kelly Smith, appeared alone, as the court heard that Appollis and van Rhyn could not appear due to an administration error. Smith have been remanded in custody at Cape Town’s Pollsmoor Prison and Appollis and Van Rhyn at Malmesbury Correctional Services.

Judge da Silva indicated that the court was considering holding the trial in Saldanha Bay, a central location, to allow interested members of the public to attend.

The matter has been postponed to 28^th of February for a pre-trial hearing.

Meanwhile, a prayer walk is planned in Diazville, on Wednesday morning, as the search continues for little Joshlin Smith.

 

By: Esobusi Mkangelwa