Cape Town - The State has dropped charges against one of the accused in the Joshlin Smith disappearance case.
Lourentia Lombaard was charged along with the six-year-old girl’s mom Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn.
Joshlin, who went missing in February, was in the care of Appollis when she disappeared in Diazville, Saldanha Bay.
Lombaard was arrested in March after she reportedly confessed about her involvement in the girl’s disappearance.
On Monday morning, October 21, while appearing in Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court, Lombaard was informed that the charges were dropped.
The case was postponed until 31 January 2025 and it will be heard at the Western Cape High Court for pretrial.
She was the fourth person to be charged with human trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation, and kidnapping of Joshlin.
Lombaard, who is friends with Smith and Appollis, was arrested 10 days after Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn were arrested. Prosecutor Jacques van Zyl previously told the court that she had confessed, but didn’t give details.
At her first court appearance in March, Lombaard told people in the public gallery that she had “told police everything”. She has now turned into a State witness in the case.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said more arrests were imminent and charges would be added but the indictment only has three accused.
Lombaard isn’t the first accused whose charges were withdrawn, Phumza Sigaqa was arrested but then a week later released.
She had also been accused of being a sangoma, but she denied that. Sigaqa had to flee her home out of fear.
* This is a developing story
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za