Court hears how Stevano van Rhyn became person of interest in Joshlin Smith case

CAPE TOWN - The investigating officer in the Joshlin Smith case on Friday told the court how co-accused, Stevano van Rhyn, became a person of interest to police after the child went missing.

An anti-kidnapping unit detective gave more details related to his investigation into Joshlin's disappearance.

The little girl's mother, Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre.

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Defence attorney Nobahle Mkabayi, who represents accused number two Stevano van Rhyn, on Friday questioned State witness Captain Wesley Lombard about why he took her client into custody after Joshlin went missing.

Mkabayi told the court that another State witness, Sergeant Meyer Milstein, who was the initial investigating officer, told the court he had decided that Van Rhyn was a person of interest after interviewing the accused.

Lombard told the court that when he took over the investigation a week after Joshlin went missing, he became suspicious about Van Rhyn's statement to police.

The captain said that Van Rhyn stated that when he visited co-accused, Jacquen Appollis, on the day Joshlin disappeared from their shack in Middelpos, Joshlin was not there.

Lombard told the court that in Appollis' statements, that he placed Van Rhyn at the shack while Joshlin was still there.

The detective said that he asked his team to bring Van Rhyn in for questioning because it seemed as though he was lying about not seeing Joshlin on the day she disappeared.