All eyes will be on the West Coast today as at least four suspects will be appearing in court for the disappearance and alleged human trafficking of six-year-old Joshlin Smith.
Police have confirmed that two women and two men, aged 26 to 35, were taken in for questioning, and the matter will be heard in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s court this morning.
It comes after news broke that the little green-eyed girl from Saldanha Bay had allegedly been “sold for R20 000 to an African woman or man for muti”.
According to a source, one of the arrested suspects “who is close to Joshlin” made the confession to police.
The Grade 1 learner at Diazville Primary School, who has still not been found, disappeared without a trace on Monday, 19 February.
At the time, her mother Kelly Smith, 33, a self-confessed drug addict, said that her daughter fell ill and was left at home in the care of her boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis, while she went to work.
The domestic worker claimed that when she came home around at 5pm, her daughter was missing, while Appollis claimed he last saw Joshlin in the afternoon as she was playing outside with friends.
But according to her friend, Steveno van Rhyn, he, Kelly and Appollis allegedly smoked drugs until 7pm that day before the mom started looking for Joshlin.
As the search continues for Joshlin, provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, said their investigation saw detectives visit several places around Saldanha Bay and interview several persons in the case.
Potelwa reports: “For days they searched vast areas in Saldanha Bay. It is envisaged that as the investigation unfolds, light will be shed as to her whereabouts or what happened to her.”
On Wednesday morning, police issued a statement saying four people have been brought in for questioning.
A few hours later Potelwa issued another statement, saying: “The matter pertaining to the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith will be heard in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 7 March 2024 at 9.00am.”
No other details of the arrests or suspects were made public.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General TE Patekile and the Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen will both be at court.
Meanwhile, Joshlin’s father, Jose Emke, told the Daily Voice that all he wants is for his child to be returned to him alive and well.
Emke travelled from the Northern Cape to Saldanha Bay after his mother, Lorita Yon, called and shared the heartbreaking news.
He says: “I hope that there is going to be a breakthrough in the case so that I can know that my child is still alive and safe. I just want to say that the people who took my child should bring her back.”
Jose said all the speculation surrounding his daughter on social media has taken a toll on his family and reiterated his desire to gain custody of his children with Kelly.
He says: “I want all my kids in my care so that they can be safe with me.”
Neither Kelly nor Appollis could be reached to talk.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za