This week, the three people implicated in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith from Saldanha Bay will appear in the Western Cape High Court.
The green-eyed girl from Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape mysteriously disappeared on February 19, 2024. She was last seen at about 5pm.
At the time of her disappearance, Joshlin’s mother 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, 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.
On March 7, the suspects, Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn were arrested.
While two others were implicated in the matter alongside the trio, the State has since withdrawn all charges.
The trio who appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court will now see their fate rest in the highest court in the Western Cape.
When they make their next appearance this week during a pre-trial hearing, a judge will be allocated to the matter and a trial date will be set.
While many are hoping to get answers soon, it remains unclear if an immediate date for the trial will be given.
In the indictment before the court, former accused turned state witness, Laurentia Lombaard said Kelly communicated in August 2023 her plan to have her children be taken away or sold. The plan was for this to happen in January or February 2024.
The day before Joshlin disappeared, on Sunday, February 18, Kelly and Joshlin walked to a white vehicle parked near their home. The indictment reads that an unknown woman alighted from the vehicle, spoke to Kelly, handed her something and she and Joshlin returned home.
It further reads that later on the same day, the three accused, including Lombaard, discussed the plan and how the money would be divided.
On the day of Joshlin’s disappearance (February 19), Kelly told her and her brother they would not be attending school and packed Joshlin’s clothes into a bag. She left for work and left the children in the custody of Appolis.
While Kelly was at work, Appolis, van Rhyn, and Lombaard were smoking inside the home while the children were present.
Later that day, Kelly allegedly returned home and took Joshlin, along with the bag of clothes she’d packed and the pair left on foot. The indictment states Joshlin and Kelly got into a white vehicle and drove away.
Later that evening, Kelly started looking for Joshlin and reported her missing to the police.
The State said evidence and documents would be produced to the court.
The arrests of more suspects cannot be ruled out at this stage and more charges may also be added to the indictment.
While endless searches have been ongoing, the community remains hopeful Joshlin will be found.
Joshlin has been missing for 343 days.
The trio are expected to appear in court on Friday, January 31.
IOL