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Joshlin Smith: Who is ‘Renz’, the fourth accused in disappearance case of Saldanha girl? [Watch]
In the latest development in the Joshlin Smith case, a friend of the girl's mother was also charged with trafficking and kidnapping.
Lourentia ‘Renze’ Lombaard, left, during her first appearance at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on 18 March. Kelly Smith, the mother of little Joshlin, pictured top right, and her boyfriend, Jacquin ‘Boeta’ Appollis. Pictures: Screengrab via X/ @NewzroomAfrika and Facebook/ Gaytom McKanzie and Mayor Andre Truter
Middelpos resident Lourencia “Renz” Lombaard has taken the place of alleged sangoma Phumza Sigaqa as the fourth accused in the disappearance case of little Joshlin Smith.
Dressed in a powder-pink long sleeve top, a nervous Lombaard made a brief appearance on Monday at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court where she was charged with human trafficking and kidnapping.
Joshlin Smith case: Fourth accused confessed
The mother of four was arrested on Friday by police detectives. According to State prosecutor Jacques van Zyl, she has made a confession before her arrest, but no further details of what had been confessed were provided.
Lombaard indicated that she wanted to apply for legal aid. She also requested a translator.
Her case has been postponed to 25 March for bail information and she will remain in custody.
Renz promises to ‘speak the truth’…
On leaving court, she was confronted by a handful Middelpos residents who implored her to “speak the truth”.
Renz simply replied: “I will”.
ALSO READ: WATCH: A quarter button and ‘sakkie’ tik while Joslin Smith vanished into the night
Mother of Joshlin one of three others charged
This Tuesday will mark a month since Joshlin, the six-year-old girl with the striking green eyes, has mysteriously vanished from the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay on 19 February.
The 32-year-old Renz is said be a friend and neighbour of Joshlin’s mother, Raquel “Kelly Smith”.
Kelly has also been charged alongside her boyfriend, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis and another friend of the couple, Steveno van Rhyn, with human trafficking and kidnapping two weeks ago.
Senior advocate Aradhana Heeramun, who appeared for the State, alleged last week that Kelly instructed Appollis and Van Rhyn to sell Joslin to another Middelpos man for R20 000 for muti.
The two men apparently made this confession after a marathon 36-hour interrogation at Saldanha Police Station.
Last week Wednesday, the three accused withdrew their bail bids while the criminal charges against the then fourth accused, Sigaqa, were withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.
The trio is set to appear again in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on 13 May.
Kelly and Renz are being remanded in custody at Cape town’s notorious Pollsmoor Prison and Appollis and Van Rhyn at Malmesbury Correctional Services.
ALSO READ: Joslin Smith: Husband of alleged sangoma claims cops ‘tortured’ her in front of kids
Watch: ‘Joshlin last seen with Renz’
Not too long after Joshlin went missing, Van Rhyn was interviewed prior to his arrest by Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie.
In the TikTok interview, he claims that he smoked some Mandrax with Appollis and a woman – whom he identified as Renz – before Kelly returned from work.
“We smoked a quarter button. Renz got up and asked Joslin to check if her other child was still sleeping in another hokkie. She left and then both of them were never seen after that.”
In the interview, he also revealed that Renz’s boyfriend was a certain “Ayanda” whom he alleged knew sangomas.
ALSO READ: Joshlin Smith: Court chaos, Pollsmoor fisticuffs, new leads and claims of two more suspects
Renz one of ‘two more suspects’
Last week, Saldanha Bay ward councillor Vernon Vraagom, who has been tirelessly searching for the missing girl alongside scores of other residents, told IOL that the community feels the police aren’t “keeping them updated”.
“We feel they should inform us about what happened to Joshlin and what the way forward is,” Vraagom said.
There are two [suspects] in protective custody and the community feels that they should be questioned.
It is now safe to assume that Renz was one of the two suspects who were being questioned by police.
More arrests possible
On Sunday, Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie told the media that “police have not ruled out the possibility of more suspects being arrested as the investigation progresses”.
- The extensive search operation for Joshlin is still ongoing, with a reward of R250 000 offered for any information that could assist the police in locating the missing girl.
- Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the Diazville Primary School pupil can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111, or SMS Crime Line on 32211.
The Citizen had been using the missing girl’s first name Joslin, but has now switched to Joshlin, as it appears on the charge sheet.
NOW READ: Muti murders in SA: Has Joslin Smith fallen prey to ‘occult economy’?
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