ANOTHER woman appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court in the Western Cape on Monday, 18 March.
This is in connection with the disappearance of Joslin Smith.
The seven-year-old grade 1 pupil disappeared from her home in Diazville on 19 February.
Lourentia Lombard (31) briefly appeared in court on charges of kidnapping and trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation.
She was arrested at the weekend and will be the fourth accused joining Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis and Steveno Dumaizio van Rhyn. The court withdrew charges against Phumeza Sigaqa, who was alleged to be a sangoma.
Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said: “Lourentia Lombard appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court this morning. The 31-year-old woman is charged with trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping. Her case has been postponed to Monday, 25 March for bail information. She is linked to the disappearance of Joslin Smith.”
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The disappearance of Joslin has brought communities in the West Coast area together. On Wednesday, 13 March, there was chaos outside the Vredenburg Magistrates Court as community members tried to force their way into the court.
Hundreds of people from Saldanha Bay, Vredenburg and surrounding areas came in their numbers to the court. They demanded entry to the court to face all the accused.
According to Kelly, Joslin who was a pupil at Diazville Primary School, had not attended school on the day she went missing as she was unwell. She alleged that she left her in the care of her boyfriend Appollis when she went to work.
But when she returned from work, Kelly said both Appollis and Joslin were not at home. Appollis later returned without the child, saying he didn't know her whereabouts. Kelly opened a missing persons case at the cop shop around 10pm on the same day. Since then, cops and community members have been searching for the girl with no success.
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