The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed that new leads in the investigation of Joshlin Smith have surfaced that may lead to the whereabouts of the missing six-year-old.
The announcement came during the chaotic scenes that ensued outside the Vredenburg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where police used tear gas and stun grenades in an attempt to control the protesting crowds.
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‘Concerning the ongoing investigation, the NPA informed the court that we have received additional information, particularly regarding the child’s whereabouts. Investigators should follow up on that,’ The Citizen reported Western Cape NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila as saying.
Ntabazalila added that the state requested for the case to be postponed as ‘investigators still need to take down some witness statements and conduct data analysis of the cellphones of the accused’.
‘The investigation continues and more charges and more accused may be added to the docket,’ said Ntabazalila.
The case was postponed until 13 May for further investigation.
Meanwhile, it has been speculated that two more suspects are in police custody for questioning, according to Saldanha Bay Councillor Vernon Vraagom, who told IOL he and the community feel like the police are not keeping them updated about the case.
‘We feel they should inform us about what happened to Joshlin and what is the way forward,’ said Vraagom. ‘There are two [suspects] in protective custody and the community feels that they should be questioned.’
Vraagom believes that the six-year-old is not far from the Middlepos informal settlement she disappeared from.
Police remain tight-lipped on the matter but confirmed that the search for Joshlin continues indefinitely.
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Picture: @joy_zelda / X