A former accused turned State witness is set to continue her testimony on Monday (17 March) in the ongoing trial of Joshlin Smith.
The case involves Smith’s mother, Kelly Smith, along with Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn, who are facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking in connection with the disappearance of the young girl from the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay in February of last year.
Last week, Lourentia Lombaard, a key witness in the trial, told the court she overheard a plan to sell Joshlin before allegedly witnessing the incident unfold.
Lombaard testified that the day before Joshlin went missing, she saw Kelly Smith take the child to a white car, where they met an unknown woman who handed Smith a package. Lombaard claimed Smith later confessed to selling Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000.
“I saw a woman, dressed like a sangoma, getting out of the car and talking to Kelly and Joshlin. I saw the sangoma hand Kelly something, which she then slid into the front of her pants,” Lombaard told the court.
She went on to testify that Smith offered her and Van Rhyn R1,000 to keep quiet, with the remaining money to be split between herself and Appollis.
However, Lombaard said Smith never gave them any money.
“We agreed on the money and that we wouldn’t talk about it to anyone or report it to the police, and that Kelly would report her child as missing,” Lombaard added.
Lombaard stated that on the day Joshlin went missing, Smith took Joshlin to meet the same woman and later returned to report the child as missing.
Speaking to VOC News, Saldanha Bay community leader Vernon Vraaghom expressed hope that justice would prevail in the case.
“It was quite a surprise when they called Lourentia so early in the trial. We believe the truth will come out, and I think this trial will heat up as they continue. I’m quite eager to see who one of the witnesses from another province is,” Vraaghom said.
“We’re happy with how the proceedings are going so far and look forward to the continuation of Lourentia’s testimony,” he added.
VOC News
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