Joshlin Smith trial: Court told missing girl was sold to sangoma for R20 000

Allegations about Joshlin Smith being sold to a sangoma were heard on Friday in the high-profile trial surrounding the six-year-old girl’s disappearance.

Lourentia (Rens) Lombard, a friend of Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Joshlin, took the stand at the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Saldanha.

Lombard was previously arrested and accused of the kidnapping and human trafficking of Joshlin. The charges against Lombaard were dropped after she became a state witness. Joshlin disappeared from the family’s home in Middelpos on 19 January 2024.

Joshlin Smith trial continues

On Friday, Lombard testified about the events of Sunday, 18 February 2024.

She recalled walking along the rocks to Smith (Joshlin’s mother) and Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis’ home and seeing a “detective bakkie” on the other side of the canal.

When she got to the house, she said she saw one of the accused, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, standing outside with an unknown man, while Smith lingered nearby.

Lombard said the man asked Appollis’ permission to enter his house. Appollis agreed, and moments later, the man emerged with a pair of Nike sneakers, asking if they belonged to him. Appollis confirmed they were his.

Kelly Smith’s outburst

After a brief exchange, Appollis and the man allegedly walked to the bakkie and talked for nearly half an hour. However, the witness was too far away to hear their conversation. From the house, Smith grew increasingly agitated, shouting at Appollis.

According to the witness, Appollis allegedly advised the man to ignore Smith’s outburst. She suggested he take his backpack and go for a walk, which he did. A man named Nilo sat behind the house. As Appollis approached him, Smith’s anger escalated.

Lombard said Smith picked up a rock, stormed inside, and smashed a window, cutting herself near her wrist in the process. Moments later, she emerged, this time holding a knife. She charged toward Appollis, threatening to stab him to death.

Smith then ordered Appollis to fetch wood. When he insisted he already had, she dismissed it, claiming it wasn’t wood.

ALSO READ: Joshlin Smith’s mother allegedly plotted to sell her months before disappearance

She then fixated on a man who had just dumped trash nearby, walking over to inspect it. Eventually, she returned to the house carrying the discarded rubbish. Appollis pointed out it wasn’t wood, which triggered another outburst.

With money in her hand, Smith told her son Requen to start the fire. The witness assisted Requen, but Smith never started cooking. Instead, she wandered off. Lombaard suspected she had gone to buy drugs.

Lombard informed Appollis that she was leaving and went home to prepare food for her family before taking a meal to her boyfriend, Ayanda Dyonase, at his carwash in Diazville.

Witness overheard conversation between Joshlin’s mother and boyfriend

Lombard said she returned to Smith’s house later and while standing near the broken window, overheard a conversation inside. Smith was speaking to Appollis, telling him there was something she needed to tell him about Joshlin. Appollis brushed her off, saying he didn’t have time for her nonsense. Smith allegedly said, “If you won’t listen, I’ll do what my mind tells me. Someone is looking for Joshlin.”

“I then heard Kelly’s cellphone ringing. She was the only one in the house who owned a phone. I heard her walking to the other room,” Lombard testified.

Judge Nathan Erasmus interrupted Lombard’s testimony to explain that the house has two rooms. It has a front section with a door where you enter. It’s then divided into a second section where the sleeping quarters are. He then stated that he had visited the house, and the door faced Lombard’s house. He then clarified that this is also the side of the house that faces the rocks and where the broken window was. Hence, Smith walked from the bedroom to the front of the house.

Witness claims Joshlin and her mother went on outing

Smith then allegedly answered the phone, speaking in English. According to Lombard, Smith said she was on her way, but was still waiting for Appollis to finish his job.

Smith told Appollis to finish as “the people were waiting for her”. “Kelly then called Joshlin, who was playing with the neighbours’ children,” said the witness.

Lombard testified that she then went around the house to the door and heard Smith calling Joshlin again and telling her they were going somewhere. When Joshlin asked where they were going, Smith told her not to ask questions.

“Kelly and Joshlin then came out the front door and walked past me,” Lombard said. “I asked her where she was going. She answered that she would return soon and that I must ‘loop k*k’, as it was none of my business. Kelly and Joshlin then walked on the other side of the canal.”

Lombard testified that she walked back to her house, but paused at a pile of rocks where Smith couldn’t see her.

“I then saw a white Polo. The car’s windows weren’t too dark. I saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat. A black woman then got out from the front left-hand side. She walked up to Kelly and Joshlin. They spoke, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. The woman then handed Kelly something, but I couldn’t see what it was. Kelly took whatever the woman gave her, and put it in her pants.”

Lombard then went to her own house, while Smith and Joshlin walked to their house. “However, I didn’t stay at my house for long.”

When asked about the black woman’s appearance, Lombard said she looked like a sangoma because of her clothing and white spots on her face.

Smith allegedly tells Lombaard she sold Joshlin

Lombard said she returned to Smith’s house not long after and again overheard Smith and Appollis speaking.

“Kelly told Boeta, ‘Here is the money the sangoma gave me’. He asked how much it was and Kelly answered that it was R20 000.

“I then walked around the house, knocked at the door, and entered. I asked her what was going on.”

According to Lombard, Smith then told her, “Rens, I did something sh*t now. I sold my child to a sangoma. I needed money and I’m suffering.”

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

Lombard’s testimony continues.

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