WRAP | Joshlin Smith kidnapping: 5th person 'made a confession', says prosecutor

Lombaard, 32, briefly appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court in connection with the disappearance of Joshlin Smith who went missing in February.  

She will remain in custody until her next court appearance on 25 March.  

A small group of protesters gathered outside court claiming that the accused had been a suspect since the beginning of the case and was likely the last person to see Smith.  

Lombaard was whisked away in a police armoured vehicle.  

- Jenni Evans  

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)  

The accused, Lourencia "Renz" Lombaard, seemed overwhelmed.

- Jenni Evans

The woman said she wanted to apply for Legal Aid, so Legal Aid lawyer Nomfundo Sikhosana stood next to her and took her details.

"Your worship, she made a confession," said prosecutor Jacques Van Zyl.

Her case was postponed to 25 March for bail information, and she will remain in custody.

- Jenni Evans  

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)  

A woman appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court in connection with Joshlin Smith's disappearance.

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

A woman appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court in connection with Joshlin Smith's disappearance. 

She is charged with kidnapping and trafficking in persons.

- Jenni Evans

Slimmed down crowds for latest Joshlin appearance

The Vredenburg Magistrate's Court was less full on Monday as the latest arrest regarding Joshlin Smith's disappearance seemed to have caught the usual picketers by surprise.

The person due in court seems to be known among the community already, with some in the small group outside court saying she was part of the early search for the 6-year-old girl.

A handful of residents sat in the last row of the public gallery in contrast to last week's scrum for a space.

There is still no news on where Joshlin is.

- Jenni Evans

The media are in court as they wait for the matter to start.

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

Joshlin Smith case: Fifth person arrested over 6-year-old's disappearance due in court

The streets around the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court were quiet on Monday morning, ahead of the first appearance of the fifth person arrested in the ongoing investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith.

A woman was arrested on Friday and charged with kidnapping and human trafficking and is due to make her first appearance in the court.  

Jacquen "Boeta" Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Racquel "Kelly" Smith, Joshlin's mom, appeared in court last Thursday and decided not to apply for bail.  

Charges were withdrawn against a fourth person amid claims that she was linked to a potential muti motive.  

On Tuesday it will be a month since the Grade 1 pupil with the striking green eyes was reported missing.  

Her mother said she went home that day and was in the care of her partner Boeta instead of going to school because she was feeling sick.  

- Jenni Evans

A small crowd gathered outside Vredenburg Magistrate's Court on Monday morning in anticipation of the latest accused in the Joshlin Smith case.

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

The streets around Vredenburg Magistrate's Court were quiet for the first appearance on Monday of the fifth person arrested in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith.  

Last week, police fired stun grenades to keep people from breaking through barbed wire to get in to the court where Smith's mom and three others appeared on kidnapping and human trafficking charges.  

An armoured police truck arrived through the court's gates on Monday with police inside, but the only groups of people nearby were those sitting in the cold autumn shade outside the Department of Home Affairs.  

There is still no sign of Joshlin almost a month after she disappeared in nearby Saldanha Bay.  

- Jenni Evans

Joshlin Smith, a pupil at Grade 1 Diazville Primary School, has been missing since 19 February 2024.

(Photo by Mayor Andre Truter/Facebook)

Another suspect has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Joshlin Smith (6).

The 32-year-old woman is expected to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court on Monday.  

- Jenni Evans

Missing Joshlin Smith: Cops mum on claims two suspects were questioned about buying girl for muti

Amid claims that another two people - who supposedly bought Joshlin Smith - have been taken in for questioning, Western Cape police are remaining tight-lipped.

Joshlin Smith kidnapping: Police following potential leads on 6-year-old's whereabouts

There is still no sign of Joshlin Smith, 24 days after she disappeared from Saldanha Bay, with her mother and two men still on the hook for allegedly kidnapping and trafficking her. 

Joshlin Smith case: I knew she was innocent, says husband after charges against wife withdrawn

Saldanha Bay resident Silindokuhle Bekameva can now breathe a sigh of relief after charges against his wife, Phumza Sigaqa, who was implicated in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith, were withdrawn.

Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile says police have opened a public violence investigation, but had not arrested anybody yet, following a tense standoff between police and residents at the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court.  

Patekile defended the police's action, saying last week scenes were chaotic outside the court.  

Meanwhile, Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen says a 29-year-old police officer was injured during the tense standoff and was taken to hospital.  

The MEC said he understands that there was no evidence against Phumza Sigaqa and the charges were withdrawn.  

- Jenni Evans

The accused in the Joshlin Smith case leave the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court.

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

The accused in the Joshlin Smith disappearance case have abandoned their bid for bail in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.  

The charges against one of the accused, Phumza Sigaqa, who is suspected of being a sangoma, were withdrawn.  

The case has been postponed to 13 May for further investigation and cellphone data to be obtained.  

- Jenni Evans

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

The accused in the Joshlin Smith disappearance case appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court. 

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

People pack the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court.  

(Photo by Jenni Evans/News24)

As court proceedings in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court was set to get under way on Wednesday, police raised concerns that an unaccredited person was live streaming court proceedings.  

Jacquen Rowhan Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn, Racquel "Kelly" Smith and Phumza Sigaqa are charged with human trafficking and kidnapping after a protracted search in which the 6-year-old Joshlin Smith was not found.  

Officers threatened to confiscate people's cellphones, if the guilty party "doesn't own up".  

Instead, officers started checking people's media cards to see if they were indeed part of the media.  

Only accredited media were allowed to keep their phones on.  

- Jenni Evans

All four accused in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping case arrived at the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court shortly after 10:00 on Wednesday.

The accused were swiftly whisked away into the court building as angry people were protesting outside.  

Court proceedings are set to commence shortly.  

- Jenni Evans

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said the police action was to control the crowd trying to get in court.

- Jenni Evans

Tension is high as residents face off with police outside the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court.

(Photo by Jenni Evans/News24)

Residents were screaming and shouting as teargas was used.

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

Residents wanted access to the court but were barred from entering the building.

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24) 

Police appeared to have trouble controlling an angry crowd as four people stand accused in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.  

(Photo by Jenni Evans/News24)

Court proceedings in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court were delayed for over an hour on Wednesday morning, as angry confrontations played out outside court.  

Residents wanted access to the court but were barred from entering the building.  

Heavily armed police blocked local residents with barbed wire from entering the premises.  

Locals demanded access shouting at the row of police "Biza in".  

Supporters of one of the accused, Phumza Sigaqa shouted "Free Phumza" while they carried placards which read: "Phumza is not sangoma" after rumours surfaced that there is a muti motive behind Joshlin's disappearance.  

Inside court it appears as if a delay with the prison transport could be behind the late court start.  

- Jenni Evans

Police fired stun-grenades outside the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday ahead of the appearance of four accused in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.  

Angry West Coast residents who were prevented from entering the court premises, in return, hurled stones at police.  

While people frantically scattered, police released red-flare smoke in an attempt to calm the situation.  

Residents were screaming and shouting as teargas was used.  

- Jenni Evans

The courtroom is packed as the media and residents wait for proceedings to start.

(Photo by Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)

Missing Joshlin Smith: SA Navy 'not leading the investigation', merely helping police search

The SA Navy has deployed more than 90 members to help search for 6-year-old Joshlin Smith from Saldanha Bay, who disappeared two weeks ago.

Saldanha residents are gathering outside the court in protest over the disappearance of little Joshlin Smith.

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)  

Joshlin Smith case: Mom, boyfriend and two others charged with trafficking, kidnapping

Four people appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday in connection with the disappearance of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith.

'Here, little girls simply don't go missing': Joshlin's community continues desperate search

Three-year-old Rorisang Ntshintshi has not been her bubbly self for almost three weeks.

She misses her friend, with whom she played most afternoons on the dirty fields and dusty streets of Middelpos in Saldanha Bay.

Razor wire, police with shields and armoured police trucks marked the second appearance of the four people arrested for allegedly trafficking 6-year-old Joshlin Smith, on Wednesday.People sang Senzeni na (what have we done) close to the heavily guarded gate of the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court.

The first two rows of the court room were reserved for family, and the walls were lined with photographers.

Jacquen Rowhan Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn, Racquel "Kelly" Smith and Phumza Sigaqa made their first appearance last week amid frenzied speculation over what happened to the child.

Joshlin disappeared on 19 February and, despite a massive search, has not been found.

At the time her mom said the child did not go to school that day and when she arrived home work, she was missing.

- Jenni Evans

Saldanha residents are gathering outside the court in protest over the disappearance of little Joshlin Smith.

(Photo Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)  

'Is Joshlin coming back?': Missing 6-year-old's classmates light candle, pray for her safe return

Pupils at Diazville Primary School in Saldanha Bay have, for the past two weeks, repeatedly asked their teachers when their smiling classmate, Joshlin Smith, will return to school. 

My wife is only guilty of providing food to Joshlin's mother, says husband of accused

The husband of Phumza Sigaqa, one of the four suspects arrested in connection with the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, insists his wife is not a sangoma and should not have been arrested.