‘Keeping hope alive’: Police say they're edging closer to finding missing Joshlin Smith
Police say they are making inroads in finding the 6-year-old, while MEC for Community Safety Reagen Allen said the case would be analysed to prevent future instances, and to get justice.
Missing 6-year-old Joshlin Smith. Picture: Western Cape Missing Persons Unit/Supplied.
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape police believe they are one step closer to finding missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith.
On Thursday, her mother, Kelly Smith, alongside her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and co-accused Steveno Van Rhyn and Phumza Siqaqa appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court, where they were charged with kidnapping and human trafficking related to Joshlin's disappearance.
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Joshlin has been missing for 18 days after disappearing from her family home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay on 19 February.
MEC for Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said the investigation would soon shed light on what exactly happened to Joshlin.
"We sincerely trust that the investigation will now unfold in terms of what has happened, but we are still keeping hope alive knowing that we are wanting to find Joshlin unharmed."
Allen said the Western Cape government would also analyse the case to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future.
"I can further confirm that together with the Provincial Commissioner and the Western Cape Cabinet, we have already resolved in order to review and analyse this particular case so that we can ultimately ensure that justice can be served."
The four accused will be back in court on 13 March for a bail hearing.