Day 14 of the Joshlin Smith trial saw yet another gruelling day on the stand for Lourentia Lombaard, who faced relentless cross-examination from both Advocate Fannie Harmse, representing Jacquen Appollis, and Judge Nathan Erasmus.
Joshlin Smith trial today: Here’s a breakdown of what happened
The court focused on inconsistencies in her two confessions—one made in March 2024, just two days after her arrest, and another in October 2024 as part of her Section 204 agreement with the State.
By the end of the day, the credibility of the State’s star witness was under serious scrutiny, with Lombaard repeatedly admitting to contradictions in her statements.
The session ended with confirmation that her cross-examination will continue into midweek next week and that the next witness, Colonel Morris, is expected to take the stand soon.
Lombaard’s confessions under scrutiny
The day opened with Harmse dissecting Lombaard’s video confession taken in March 2024, pointing out key differences between what she said then and what she later testified in October 2024.
- In March, she said nothing about Kelly Smith smashing a window during her fight with Jacquen on Sunday, 18 February 2024.
- In October, she added this detail to her account.
- Lombaard admitted that her March confession was incomplete and that she held back information at the time.
The judge then paused the proceedings to address what he described as a striking change in Lombaard’s appearance between the two confessions.
In March, she appeared dishevelled, malnourished, and showed clear signs of drug use.
By October, she had gained weight, looked healthier, and did not display the same agitation.
He then questioned Lombaard about her drug use leading up to her arrest, to establish whether she was experiencing withdrawal when she gave her first confession.
She confirmed that she had been using excessive amounts of drugs in the week before her arrest and had last used tik (crystal meth) two days before she was taken into custody.
The judge noted that her March confession was taken while she was coming off drugs, whereas her October statement was made when she was clear-headed, which could explain some inconsistencies.
Confusion over the white Polo
One of the most contested parts of Lombaard’s testimony has been her account of Kelly Smith meeting a woman in a white Polo—the last known sighting of Joshlin.
- In March, she stated that she saw Kelly and Jacquen walking toward the car together.
- In October, she corrected herself, saying that Jacquen (Boeta) was NOT present when Kelly took Joshlin to the woman.
Harmse confronted her about another inconsistency—whether the meeting at the Polo happened once or twice.
In one version, she said she saw two separate interactions between Kelly, Joshlin, and the woman in the Polo. In another, she said it only happened once.
Lombaard insisted that the interaction happened once on Sunday and again on Monday, the day Joshlin disappeared.
The judge questioned her mistrust of the officer who took her March confession, asking why she was truthful in some parts but lied about others.
Lombaard admitted that her fear played a major role in her inconsistencies, but she stood by the version of events she gave in October.
The money that never appeared
The judge then shifted the focus to the alleged R20,000 that Kelly supposedly received from the woman in the Polo.
In March, Lombaard claimed she overheard Kelly discussing the money while standing by the rocks near the house. Under questioning today, she admitted she had lied about this and could not actually hear what was said.
The judge confronted her with another contradiction: In March, she said the discussion about how the money would be split happened on Monday, 19 February.
In October, she claimed it took place on Sunday, 18 February. Today, she said she was “confused” at the time of her confession.
Harmse then pushed Lombaard to confirm that she initially believed she would be granted free bail after giving her confession. The judge pointed out that in her March statement, she had said:
“My wish is that they will grant me free bail so that I can go home and come to court on the next occasion from home.”
Lombaard denied that her confession was motivated by securing bail, insisting she wanted to tell the truth.
Timeline of Joshlin’s disappearance under fire
Harmse then moved on to the morning of Monday, 19 February 2024, when Joshlin disappeared.
Lombaard claimed she was at Kelly’s house early that morning when Kelly told Jacquen that Joshlin needed to be ready at 2:00 p.m. for pickup.
However, the defence argued that Jacquen was not even there that morning and only arrived home later in the day. Harmse accused Lombaard of not being at Kelly’s house that morning at all, suggesting she only arrived later that day.
Lombaard stood by her claim, stating that she saw Kelly leave the house with Rochelle that morning.
The judge also pressed her on a major contradiction in her March confession, where she had said:
- Joshlin’s bag was packed that morning.
- Kelly left with Joshlin and only returned at 17:00.
- She made no mention of the Polo, the money, or the alleged deal in her original confession.
Lombaard insisted she lied in March out of fear, and that her October confession was the full truth.
What’s next in the Joshlin Smith trial?
With cross-examination still ongoing, Lombaard is expected to return to the stand on Monday, 24 March 2025. The defence has been warned by the judge to avoid overlapping questions and to focus on key inconsistencies.
The State is also preparing to call its next witness, a Colonel Morris, who will likely provide investigative findings related to Joshlin’s disappearance.
With the credibility of the State’s key witness at risk, next week’s sessions could be critical in determining how much weight the court will give to Lombaard’s testimony.