Hundreds of people who could not get into the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court were baying for the blood of the accused implicated in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.
The six-year-old from Saldanha Bay went missing on February 19 and was last seen after 5pm.
Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and an alleged sangoma, Phumza Sigaqa made a brief court appearance on Thursday and were formally charged.
Charges against the four are trafficking in persons and kidnapping. They have officially applied for legal aid.
The matter has been postponed to March 13 for bail information.
Attending the court proceedings were Western Cape Police Commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen and acting MEC for Social Development Nomafrench Mbombo.
As police were readying to move the accused who were placed in a police nyala, the crowd outside court grew rowdy and called for them to be handed over to the community.
Residents were shouting Kelly’s name, stating she was a ‘bad mother’, and the rest were also called not worthy of being called human.
As the convoy which included two police nyalas, and other vehicles were leaving the court, residents started shouting and chanting: “Ons soek vir Joshlin (we want Joshlin)”.
Many held up placards with the Grade 1 learner’s face on with words reading “justice for Joshlin” and “we love you Joshlin”.
Earlier this week on Tuesday, a source revealed to IOL News that a suspect had been arrested after a confession. The suspect is understood to have told police that Joshlin was sold to a woman for around R20,000.
The suspect taken into police custody is believed to be close to Joshlin.
Police did not respond to inquiries regarding this information and did not confirm or deny the R20,000 amount reportedly paid by the woman for Joshlin.
At the time of Joshlin’s disappearance, her mother, Smith 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, Appollis, 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.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL