Breakthrough in Joshlin Smith Case: New Evidence Emerges, Court Hearing Postponed
New evidence has emerged in the ongoing Joshlin Smith kidnapping and human trafficking case, bringing a glimmer of hope to the investigation.
Court Proceedings Postponed
The Vredenburg Magistrates Court has postponed the case against Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appolis, and two other co-accused. They made a brief appearance in court on Monday, with Kelly Smith heavily pregnant.
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New Evidence Surfaces in Joshlin Smith Kidnapping Case
Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, announced that the case is expected to be transferred to the Western Cape High Court. However, due to the emergence of new evidence, investigators require additional time to finalise their case.
“Between the last appearance and today, new evidence has come to light, and we of course need to investigate that evidence, and that investigation is at a sensitive stage,” Ntabazalila said.
Joshlin went missing on February 19 after her mother left her with her boyfriend.
Next Steps
Ntabazalila refrained from providing specifics about the new evidence, citing the need to complete the investigation before presenting findings in court.
“We can’t speak about it. We’ve asked the court for remand, so we continue with the investigation. The magistrate said she’s going to mark it final. We did not oppose that. We understand the frustration because it’s taking some time to investigate the matter,” Ntabazalila added.
The case will return to court on October 21, with the accused remaining in custody.