Joslin Smith: Police Dismiss Rumours of Fifth Arrest

• The SAPS has rubbished claims that a fifth person was arrested in the Joslin Smith disappearance
• Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie shared news of the alleged new arrest on his Facebook page
• Smith disappeared in February, and her mom plus three others were arrested for the alleged crime

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Police have dismissed claims that a fifth suspect was nabbed for the disappearance of Joslin Smith. The six-year-old was last seen around Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, on 19 February 2024.

Gayton Mckenzie on alleged fifth arrest

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton Mckenzie shared on his Facebook page that the police conducted a raid and arrested a fifth person.

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According to IOL, the Western Cape police clarified that no new arrests were made in the Smith case.

Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appolis, Stevano van Rhyn, and Lourentia Lombaard face trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping.

Netizens bash Gayton Mckenzie

Some netizens lashed out at the PA leader for sharing the unverified information.

@RNaidoo said:

“Every party is looking to win over voters even if it means lying to them. ♂️”

@Ralph70766640 commented:

“I believe @GaytonMcK on this matter.”

@chrismagswan added:

“This Gayton is all talk, yoh!”

@Wendy94669657 suspected:

“Her part-human mother sold her.”

@Steve38355404 pleaded:

“Let’s also not give up finding Joshlin Smith after being missing for 3 months. Because SAPS has given up.”

What you need to know about the disappearance of Joslin Smith

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Tshwane mayor Clint Brink’s visit to bereaved Phalane family ignites online discussion

• An ex-policeman believes he's found the location of the missing six-year-old Saldanha girl
• Joslin’s grandmother begged the little girl’s mom, Kelly, to tell the truth about her whereabouts
• The police's K-9 search for Joslin in a bushy area in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, was unsuccessful
• DNA testing of a bloody cloth that was found during the search for missing Joslin came back negative
• The fourth suspect, Lourentia Lombaard, allegedly confessed her involvement to the police

Joslin’s mother assaulted in prison

Briefly News previously reported that Kelly Smith was assaulted when she arrived at the Pollsmoor Correctional Facility in March 2024.

Smith was allegedly pregnant when she arrived in prison; however, she had concealed it.

After the assault, she was reportedly placed in solitary confinement for her and the baby’s safety.

Source: Briefly News