Joshlin Smith: Kelly allegedly planned for ‘people’ to fetch her

Court proceedings in the Joshlin Smith case took a dark turn on Friday as the court heard testimony which revealed shocking details about the little girl’s disappearance.

Testifying in the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Saldanha, Lourentia (Rens) Lombard, a friend of Kelly Smith, Joshlin’s mother, recounted how Smith allegedly sold Joshlin to a sangoma for R20 000. The claim left the courtroom in stunned silence.

The court later heard that Smith allegedly planned to have Joshlin fetched by someone at 2pm the following day (19 February 2024).

Lombard painted a chilling picture of the events preceding the day when Joshlin vanished from her home in Middelpos.

Lombard alleges Smith admitted to selling Joshlin for cash

Lombard testified that Smith told her she did a “sh*t thing” by selling Joshlin, but that she needed money and was suffering.

She asked Smith if she had problems and why she didn’t go to someone about her issues. “Now you sold your child for money.”

Smith allegedly replied that it was already done and she could do nothing to change it.

Lombard further testified that one Steveno van Rhyn, a co-accused at the house when Smith told her that she sold Joshlin, also heard what she had done.

“Steveno entered the house and Boeta [Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, Smith’s boyfriend and another co-accused] asked Kelly what she was going to do with the money. Her words were, ‘I’m going to give Rens R1 000, and R1 200 to Steveno’. She would share the money that was left between herself and Boeta.”

Lombard said she told Smith that it was not about the money but about Joshlin. “I never asked her why she would give me R1 000 and R1 200 to Steveno. However, I asked her how she would get Joshlin away. Kelly replied that she would make a plan.”

Lombard: ‘I took the money to keep my mouth shut’

According to Lombard, at the time of the discussion, Requen was in the other room and Joshlin was playing outside.

“Steveno and I accepted the offer on the condition that we would keep our mouths shut,” she said. “I accepted the money, but she never gave it to me.”

When asked whether she had ever seen the money, she replied that she had never seen it. “I went to my house and did not return on the same day.”

State prosecutor Zelda Swanepoel asked if it would be true if someone said that she returned the same day. Lombard replied that she was not sure, because she was “drugged. I smoked a lot of drugs”.

She explained that she smoked tik the previous week, which was in her system and that she smoked again on the Sunday (18 February). She said she smoked tik after the day’s events.

Swanepoel asked Lombard how she felt about the plans they made on the Sunday. She replied that she was very angry and didn’t know where to turn. “I couldn’t believe this had happened, and we had planned this. I was angry at Kelly. I asked her how she could do such a sh*t stupid thing to her own child, Joshlin Smith.”

Smith allegedly planned for Joshlin to be ready at 2pm

Lombard testified that the next day (19 February 2024), she got up, did her housework and then went to Smith’s house. She said she was curious whether the plan was still in place and how she would get Joshlin away from the house.

When she arrived at the house early in the morning, Smith, Appollis, Van Rhyn, Requen (Smith’s son) and Joshlin were there. She didn’t see Smith’s youngest daughter at the house. She said she remembers vaguely that someone took her to créche.

According to Lombard, she arrived before the children had to go to school and asked Smith why they weren’t on their way. Kelly replied that she shouldn’t “ask her sh*t”.

She recalled that on her way to work, Smith told Appollis that Joshlin should be ready at 2pm. She said she would return by then because “the people” were fetching her. She also told him she would pack a pair of clothing for Joshlin. “I saw that she was also packing a black cooler bag.”

Lombard’s testimony continues.

Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn are accused of the kidnapping and human trafficking of Joshlin.

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