Lombaard questioned on why she did not join search for Joshlin Smith
Defence attorneys for the accused cross-examined Lourentia Lombaard about her testimony, which implicates Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, and her co-accused for being complicit in the little girl's disappearance.
Former accused in the Joshlin Smith trial, Lourentia Lombaard, testified at the Western Cape High Court, sitting in the Multi-Purpose Centre on 14 March 2025. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
SALDANHA BAY - Former accused-turned-State-witness, Lourentia Lombaard, was questioned in the Joshlin Smith trial on Tuesday about why she did not join the search for the little girl.
Defence attorneys for the accused cross-examined Lombaard about her testimony, which implicates Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, and her co-accused for being complicit in the little girl's disappearance.
Defence attorney Nobahle Mkabayi on Tuesday told the court that her client, Stevano van Rhyn, witnessed Lombaard take Joshlin from her home but never brought her back.
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Van Rhyn told police he suspected Lombaard and her boyfriend, Ayanda Letoni, sold Joshlin to a sangoma for muthi.
Lombaard denied this before being questioned about why she did not join the search for Joshlin.
Lombaard answered that she didn't join the search because she had her two children with her.
But Judge Nathan Erasmus told Lombaard that he found her answer strange because based on her testimony, she would have known the search was senseless.
Lombaard told Judge Erasmus she didn't take part in the search because Smith had not paid her the money she was promised to keep quiet.