The state has dropped charges against accused four Laurentia Lombaard in relation to the disappearance of six-year-old Joslin Smith.
STATE DROPS CHARGES AGAINST LAURENTIA LOMBAARD IN JOSLIN SMITH DISAPPEARANCE CASE
The South African previously reported that the young girl went missing from her home in Diazville, Saldanha Bay, on 19 February. At the time, she was under the care of her mother’s boyfriend.
Lombaard was arrested alongside Joslin’s mother, Chantel Smith, her stepfather, Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis, and close friend Steveno van Rhyn. The four faced charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
The four have made numerous appearances at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court and also abandoned their bail applications.
On Monday, 21 October, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the charges against Lombaard have been dropped.
MATTER MOVES TO HIGH COURT
Initially, the case was supposed to move to the Western Cape High Court in September, however, in the last court appearance, the NPA revealed that there was new evidence that needed to be investigated and that the matter was a critical stage.
The matter will return to court on 31 January 2025 for a pre-trial conference.
DO YOU STILL HAVE HOPE THAT JOSLIN SMITH COULD BE FOUND ALIVE?
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