Joshlin Smith trial: Lombaard given medical care after twice being escorted from dock
Day two of cross-examination for Lourentia Lombaard came to a halt twice on Wednesday before Judge Nathan Erasmus adjourned the matter until Thursday.
Former accused in the Joshlin Smith trial, Lourentia Lombaard, testified at the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre on 17 March 2025. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
SALDANHA BAY - A former accused who turned State witness in the Joshlin Smith trial had to be escorted from the dock twice on Wednesday during cross-examination.
Lourentia Lombaard, who is the State's main witness, started shivering and became unresponsive after facing tough questioning about her testimony.
Lombard has implicated Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, and her co-accused, Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn, for allgedly selling the child to a sangoma for R20,000.
Day two of cross-examination for Lombaard came to a halt twice on Wednesday before Judge Nathan Erasmus adjourned the matter until Thursday.
Lombaard initially asked to be excused after being grilled by defence attorney, Fanie Harmse, about her version of events the day before Joshlin went missing.
When Lombaard returned, she was ready to proceed but after a few miuntes of more tough questioning from both Harmse and Judge Erasmus, she seemed to have a panic attack and started shivering before becoming unresponsive.
Lombaard was escorted from the dock by court orderlies and Judge Erasmus then postponed the matter, saying that Lombaard was receiving medical care.
The Joshlin Smith trial has been briefly adjourned for a second time today after former accused turned State witness, Lourencia Lombaard became emotional under cross-examination. CP pic.twitter.com/ZPaaT50uyb
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 19, 2025