The eighth day of the Joslin Smith trial continues with chilling witness statements pertaining to the missing girl’s mother, Kelly Smith.

The credibility of state witness Laurentia “Renz” Lombaard’s testimony has been criticised by the defense attorneys in the trial of the missing Saldanha Bay girl, Joslin Smith.

The woman – a former accused who is now a State 204 witness – has been painted as an “unreliable drug addict.”

Lombaard has stated under oath that Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, sold her to a sangoma for R20 000.

Kelly, her boyfriend, Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis, and pal Steveno van Rhyn are all on trial over charges of child trafficking.

The trial is taking place under the High Court, sitting at the Saldanha Bay Centre.

STATE WITNESS ACCUSED OF LYING?

On Tuesday, 18 March, state witness Laurentia Lombaard was cross-examined by the defense attorneys of the three accused.

After her initial arrest last year, Lombaard later turned state witness after making a “confession” to police. Charges against her were provisionally withdrawn.

During her cross-examination, Lombaard admitted to using the drug Tik (crystal meth) two or three times a day.

She also claimed that she had decided to turn state witness as she wanted to “speak the truth as I could no longer hide things.”
Laurentia ‘Renz’ Lombaard is accused of ‘lying’ about Joslin Smith’s disappearance during her testimony.
Images via YouTube screenshot: SABC
Lombaard also conceded that her partner, Ayanda Letoni, had sold drugs from their shack. However, she had asked him to stop.

“I asked Ayanda to quit because he was a drinker. Most of the money he made from selling drugs he drank out. If he gets money from the carwash, he also used it to buy wine”, she said.

Lombaard’s claims were labelled “strange” by the defense.

Lombaard previously claimed in her testimony that Kelly Smith had offered her R1000 in “hush money” after she discovered that Joslin would be sold to a sangoma. She added that she had not received the money, even after confronting Kelly about it.

‘BRING JOSLIN BACK’

A day before her cross-examination, Laurentia Lombaard told the court during her testimony that she felt “hurt” about what happened to Joslin.

She said: “I have four children and didn’t know about Boeta [Jacquen Appollis] and Kelly’s plan. Only after eavesdropping did I later overhear their plan to sell the child. I tried to stop Kelly, but she wouldn’t listen.”

She continued: “Whoever has the child, please bring her back… I feel sad and hurt that I was involved in this case. But my lord, what I said here in court is all my truth”.

WILL SHE GET INDEMNITY?

According to the Criminal Procedure Act, a Section 204 witness can receive indemnity from criminal charges, provided that their testimony and evidence help incriminate the accused.

In the case of Joslin Smith, the National Prosecuting Authority offered Lourentia Lombaard witness protection in exchange for her testimony against Kelly Smith, Boeta Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn.

However, if the court finds that the witness has not testified truthfully, they may face prosecution for perjury and related charges.

According to their accounts, Kelly is believed to have bragged about wanting to sell her child for a mere R5 000. She also claimed that a Nigerian man had taken the blonde-haired girl and was allegedly trafficked to West Africa.

Kelly, her boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta,” and her friend Steveno Van Rhyn are facing child kidnapping and trafficking charges in the trial taking place at the Saldana Bay multipurpose centre.

Joslin disappeared on 19 February 2024 at her home in the Middelpos informal settlement in Diazville.

JOSLIN SMITH TRIAL: WITNESS SAYS KELLY BRAGGED ABOUT WANTING TO SELL CHILD

Taking to the stand, state witness Saldanha Bay resident and local pastor Steven Coetzee recalled a disturbing conversation he had with Kelly Smith months before Joslin’s disappearance.

Coetzee says that Kelly had bragged about allegedly receiving offers from undisclosed people who were interested in “buying” her children.

According to Coetzee, Kelly claimed that “if they came this time and didn’t have the full R20 000, she would settle for R5 000”.

Joslin Smith’s mother Kelly Smith pictured during the trial of the missing girl. The mother is accused of trafficking her child to fuel her drug habit.
Images via TikTok: IOL News
The witness claimed that Kelly then bragged about what would happen once her child was sold. He said: “She assured me that in January or February, Middelpos would look like a movie scene.

He continued: “You will see with your own eyes what will happen in Middelpos, Diazville. It will be like a movie; vehicles, pedestrians, people everywhere. They will search but won’t find anything because I will make the child go far away”.

‘TAKEN BY NIGERIAN MAN’

Another state witness, Joslin Smith’s Diazville Primary School teacher Edna Maart, claimed that Kelly Smith had confided in her that Joslin was en route to West Africa.

The alleged confession took place a few days after Joslin’s disappearance.

The teacher claims that Kelly had told her “in confidence” that she had received a call from a “Nigerian man” who claimed that he had taken Joslin Smith. The man informed her that Joslin was being stored in a container on a ship.

The man  – named “Johan” – allegedly told her told her to “act fast”.

Kelly reportedly told the teacher that she did not mention this information to the police as she was “scared” that her community would “hurt” her.

Kelly allegedly added to the teacher: “Remember, Boeta is innocent.”