Laurentia Lombaard took the stand for the third day in the Western Cape High Court sitting in Saldanha as she continued with her evidence in chief.
Proceedings got off to a rocky start as technical difficulties were experienced, but the situation was resolved within minutes.
Lombaard has been on the stand since Thursday and her testimony has sent shockwaves through the court and the broader community.
Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and Joshlin’s mother Kelly Smith are on trial in Saldanha and face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
The trio have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Joshlin went missing on February 19, 2024, from her home in Middelpos. It has been over a year and there has been no sighting of the green-eyed girl.
When asked if there was any altercation between Lombaard’s boyfriend, Ayanda, and Boeta by the time police got to her home on Monday, February 19, 2024, Lombaard testified yes, as her boyfriend had asked why they (Kelly and Boeta) would bring the police to the house.
She also told the court she had not seen Kelly or Boeta since that incident.
Lombaard said she saw Kelly the Friday following Joshlin’s disappearance. She saw Kelly walking near her house and called her.
She told Lombaard not to call her name too loudly as she knew people were looking for her.
“I went out and went towards her (Kelly). It was Kelly, Boeta, a lady and man, on their way to Kelly’s home. As Kelly entered the home, she asked me to come inside. I asked what she was looking for, she was looking for her son’s school clothes, bank card and ID,” Lombaard said.
She further testified that Kelly never mentioned Joshlin, she only mentioned her two other children and the documentation she needed to collect.
The court heard during this time it was only Kelly and Lombaard in the home at the time.
Kelly said: “Renz, I know what I did to Joshlin. There was someone that paid me to keep quiet”.
Lombaard stated she asked who was paying her to keep quiet, but Kelly never mentioned the name.
“She said the person who was looking for Joshlin was looking for her because they wanted her [Joshlin’s] eyes and skin,” Lombaard said.
She further asked Kelly about the R1,000 payment she was to receive but never received it.
It was also the last time she saw Kelly on that day.
Lombaard said that when she gave a statement to the police, she only told them about the Monday when Joshlin disappeared.
She claims she did not tell them everything as she was scared at the time.
While she does admit to withholding the truth from police, Lombaard is adamant she is telling the court everything and “not withholding anything”.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL