Cape Town — Police have intensified the search for missing six-year-old, Joshlin Smith, as a team of seasoned detectives from the South African Police Services (SAPS) Organised Crime Unit have been roped in to find her.
This comes after concerns were raised over the way police handled the crowds during the hearing at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The crowds started getting restless, asking to be let into the courts, and the situation descended into chaos, resulting in an injury to a 29-year-old female police officer.
Gender-based violence activist Reverend June Major said she joined the search for Joshlin one week after her disappearance. Major said she alerted the investigating officer to one of the accused’s alleged involvement in the disappearance of Joshlin, EWN reported.
“When I spoke to him afterwards, I told him Steveno’s a person of interest and he needs to question him. His response to me was, ‘Hy’s net ‘n ou skelm [he’s just an old crook]’.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Poje said the investigation has now been reinforced with experienced detectives, and the search for Joshlin continues.
Police confirmed that another two suspects were brought in for questioning regarding Joshlin’s disappearance. A source said on Thursday the two people were close to the six-year-old’s mother Raquel “Kelly” Chantel Smith, IOL reported.
Police remained tight-lipped about the investigation on Thursday, saying that it is normal for any people of interest in such an intricate case, to be brought in for questioning.
“As such, in the interest of solving this case and finding Joshlin, we cannot disclose operational details and give a blow-to-blow account as the investigation into finding Joshlin Smith unfolds as this can potentially jeopardise ongoing investigation. We shall communicate with you should more people be charged to appear in a court of law,” Pojie said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
