Joshlin Smith trial: Court to determine Lombaard's fitness to continue cross-examination
The former accused turned State witness, Lourencia Lombaard, had to be escorted from the dock twice on Wednesday after seemingly having a panic attack.
Former accused in the Joshlin Smith trial, Lourentia Lombaard testifies at the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre on 17 March 2025. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
CAPE TOWN - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is awaiting a medical report to determine whether the State's main witness in the Joshlin Smith trial is fit to continue being cross-examined.
The former accused turned State witness, Lourencia Lombaard, had to be escorted from the dock twice on Wednesday after seemingly having a panic attack.
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Lombaard was being questioned by the defence about her version of events the day before Joshlin went missing.
Lombaard has implicated Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, and her co-accused, Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn, for allegedly selling the child to a sangoma for R20,000.
The NPA's spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said Lombaard indicated she was not feeling well before her cross-examination.
"As cross-examination continued, she started breaking down and depending on the report we get from the doctors, we may continue."
Ntabazalila said if Lombaard cannot continue on Thursday, a new witness will be called to testify.
"If we don't continue with her, she's unfit to continue the cross-examination. We will call another witness, Colonel Morris, who will testify around social media and videos."
The matter is set to resume in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay multi-purpose centre on Thursday.