The 10th day of the Joshlin Smith trial brought one of the most explosive testimonies yet, as Lourentia Lombaard resumed her account of the days leading up to and following the six-year-old’s disappearance.
Joshlin Smith trial today: Here’s a breakdown of what happened
The former accused-turned-State witness detailed the events of Sunday, 18 February 2024, revealing shocking claims about an alleged plan to sell Joshlin.
Lombaard testified that she and Kelly Smith were bound by heavy drug use, frequently smoking tik together. However, it was on that Sunday—just one day before Joshlin vanished—that she overheard a conversation that left her reeling.
She claimed she heard Kelly tell Jacquen Appollis that there was a plan to sell Joshlin to a black woman.
According to Lombaard, the day started with Kelly questioning Boeta (Jacquen) about a pair of sneakers and stolen chickens from a farm. The situation escalated when Kelly became furious, throwing a rock against the door, smashing a window, and injuring herself in the process.
The confrontation turned physical when Kelly allegedly grabbed a knife and threatened to stab Boeta.
Later that day, Lombaard said she saw Kelly interacting with a man dumping rubbish in a field. Despite Boeta’s attempts to calm her down, Kelly remained agitated.
She then instructed her eldest son, Racquen, to start a fire—though, according to Lombaard, she never actually cooked anything. Instead, Kelly walked off, and Lombaard assumed she was going to buy drugs.
When Lombaard returned to Kelly’s home later, she said she overheard a conversation through the broken window. Kelly allegedly told Boeta there was something she needed to discuss regarding Joshlin.
When Boeta dismissed her, she reportedly replied:
“Okay then, if you won’t listen to me, I will follow my own head.”
Shortly after, Kelly received a phone call. Lombaard couldn’t make out the conversation, but she claimed Kelly said in English, “I am coming now. I am still waiting for Boeta when he is finished with his job.”
Kelly then called for Joshlin, who was playing with other children. When Joshlin asked where they were going, Kelly allegedly snapped,
“Stop asking questions, just come with me.”
A meeting with a woman in a white Polo
Lombaard testified that she followed Kelly and Joshlin from a distance as they walked toward the canal.
She then saw a white Volkswagen Polo pull up. A black woman stepped out and spoke with Kelly. Lombaard couldn’t hear what was said, but she saw the woman hand something to Kelly, who quickly shoved it into her crotch before looking around as if to check for onlookers.
The woman then got back into the car and drove off.
When Kelly and Joshlin returned to the house, Lombaard later overheard Kelly telling Boeta:
“Here is the money we got from the sangoma.”
Boeta asked how much it was, and Kelly allegedly responded, “R20,000.”
Kelly’s stunning admission
At this point, Lombaard said she confronted Kelly directly. She asked what was going on, to which Kelly allegedly replied, “‘Rents, I did something shit now.” When pressed further, Kelly reportedly confessed:
“I just sold my child to a sangoma.”
Lombaard testified that she was in disbelief. She told Kelly there were other ways to deal with financial hardship, but Kelly dismissed the concern, saying, “What’s done is done. There is nothing we can do about that.”
She then informed Boeta and Steveno van Rhyn that she planned to give Lombaard R1,000, Steveno R1,200, and keep the rest of the money for herself and Boeta.
Lombaard stated that she refused the money, but both Boeta and Steveno accepted their portions and agreed to keep quiet.
The final hours before Joshlin’s disappearance
On Monday, 19 February 2024, Lombaard said she returned to Kelly’s house early in the morning. She found Kelly, Boeta, Steveno, Racquen, and Joshlin there. She asked why the children weren’t at school, and Kelly brushed her off.
Then, according to Lombaard, Kelly gave a chilling instruction:
“At 14:00, you must get Joshlin ready. That’s when I will come back because that’s when the people will come to fetch Joshlin.” She said
Kelly even packed a small bag of clothes and underwear for Joshlin before leaving for work.
At 14:00, Lombaard saw Kelly returning from work, walking toward her house. Moments later, she watched Kelly lead Joshlin back toward the canal—the same area where the white Polo had appeared the day before.
This time, Lombaard said she saw the same woman step out of the Polo, speak to Kelly, and then open the car door. Kelly and Joshlin got in, with Kelly still holding the black cooler bag. The car then drove away.
Lombaard later overheard Boeta confirming that Kelly “still has the money.” She also saw Kelly return home from work that evening—but, notably, she never once asked where Joshlin was.
As night fell, Lombaard recalled that Boeta suddenly began asking around about Joshlin’s whereabouts. Kelly eventually showed up at Lombaard’s house with the police, asking if she had seen Joshlin. Lombaard said she confronted Kelly, saying, “Because you know what you did to your child, why don’t you speak?”
She claimed that police officers heard her say this, but she could not recall which officers were present.
Court proceedings were cut short when the judge intervened to clarify discrepancies in Lombaard’s timeline. The trial is set to resume on Monday, 17 March 2025, when she will continue her testimony.
