Cape Town — Western Cape police have arrested another suspect in the case of missing six-year-old, Joshlin Smith, who has been missing for one month now, bringing the total number of arrests to five.
A 32-year-old woman, believed to be friends with Kelly Smith, Jacquin Appollis, and Steveno Van Rhyn, was arrested on Friday and is expected to make her first appearance in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, The Citizen reported.
“According to Western Cape police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, the woman faces the same charges as the other three – human trafficking and kidnapping. He said while another person has been arrested, police have not ruled out the possibility of more suspects being arrested as the investigation progresses.
A 32-year-old woman is set to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court this morning on charges related to the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith. The suspect joins Joshlin’s mother Kelly Smith and two others as part of the accused in the case. CP pic.twitter.com/mEW5dTg4R8
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 18, 2024
The alleged “sangoma” who was released from custody, Phumza Sigaqa, said her life has been turned upside down, saying she now fears for her life and the safety of her children, IOL reported.
“I was accused of being a sangoma, but I have never been one. I have been vilified because of misinformation. I still don’t understand why the police arrested me in this case,” Sigaqa said.
Sigaqa retold the story of her arrest, and how police ransacked her home and allegedly assaulted her at the police station. She also said she saw Smith, Appollis, and Van Rhyn walk past her home with Joshlin, and when they came back, she was not with them anymore. She did not say anything as she did not think Joshlin would be reported missing.
She said her arrest had split the community along racial lines.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
