Western Cape police searched an area in the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay on Friday afternoon chasing leads as part of the investigation into the disappearance of seven-year-old Joshlin Smith.
Joshlin's mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, Smith's boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis, 33, and Steveno van Rhyn, 28, received life sentences for the kidnapping and trafficking of Joshlin in May.
An eight-week trial revealed how the trio planned to sell the green-eyed grade 1 pupil with fair skin to a sangoma for R20,000 from their home in the settlement in February last year.
“SAPS teams led by detectives with K-9 members, search and rescue teams and local police have been scouring an identified area in Saldanha Bay. Whether the ongoing search will yield any success remains to be seen. It is worth reiterating that police have an obligation to follow up and test all information that is brought to their attention,” Western Cape police said on Saturday.
“A humble plea is hereby made that the search teams be afforded space to perform their duties as the investigation continues.”
Police said on Saturday, even though the three were sentenced for kidnapping and human trafficking, the disappearance without trace of the child remained a priority for police and the investigation was never closed.
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