Van Rhyn denies Kelly Smith offered him money to keep quite about her plan to sell Joshlin to sangoma

SALDANHA BAY - One of the accused in the Joshlin Smith trial has denied that Kelly Smith offered him money to keep quiet about her alleged plan to sell the child to a sangoma.

Defence attorneys continued questioning the State's main witness, Lourentia Lombaard, on Tuesday about her testimony.

Lombaard has implicated Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith, and her two co-accused as being complicit in the little girl's disappearance.

Defence attorney Nobahle Mkabayi, who represents accused number two, Stevano van Rhyn, on Tuesday told the court that her client had no knowledge of Smith's alleged plan to sell Joshlin to a sangoma.

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Lombaard said she witnessed Smith take Joshlin to meet a sangoma in a white vehicle before returning with a package of money the day before the child went missing. 

She alleges Smith then offered to pay Van Rhyn and Lombaard to keep quiet about her plan to sell Joshlin.

Mkabayi told the court that Van Rhyn was not present when Smith allegedly made the offer and had no knowledge of Smith selling Joshlin to a sangoma.

Mkabayi asked Lombaard whether she dragged Van Rhyn into the matter because he told police he suspected Lombaard and her boyfriend were involved in Joshlin's disappearance.

Lombaard denied this, saying she had no reason to implicate Van Rhyn.