The Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape heard new evidence in the case of missing six-year-old Joslin Smith.
Smith’s disappearance from her home in the Middlepos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay sparked a major outcry 7 months ago.
Her biological mother Kelly Smith, her mother’s boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and two others have been charged in connection with her case. The accused face charges of trafficking in persons with the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping.
The matter was due to have been transferred to the High Court, but the State says they are duty-bound to probe the new evidence. The postponement has been marked as final.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says, “What could happen if they require more time next month; the court may ask for an inquiry to find our reasons are genuine and a reason for us to request that. But if we lose that inquiry and we are not granted a further postponement then we will take a decision on whether to transfer the case to the High Court.
The emphasis is that the case will not be withdrawn. We have enough evidence to continue and transfer the case to the High Court based on what we have at this stage, but the issue is the new evidence that necessitates that we ask for this postponement,” adds Ntabazalila.
Joslin’s disappearance sparked an intensive search operation with the community calling for the return of the child and swift justice.
Ntabazalila says the High Court may sit in Vredenburg to preside over the matter at a later stage.
“Circuit courts sit every now and then. Even now we have them in our roll where the court goes to areas outside of Cape Town, but that decision comes from the Acting Chief Justice who will make a call whether the court must sit here so that the people of Vredenburg will be able to attend as they have shown interest in the case from the first appearance. So, we depend on the Department of Justice but if they ask us to come here, we will camp here until we finalise the case.”
The state requested a postponement so that they could investigate the latest evidence.
The case was postponed to October 21, 2o24, and the accused will remain in custody.
Joslin Smith | The case has been postponed:
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