Sangomas offered to help search for missing Joshlin Smith, investigator tells court
Captain Wesley Lombard was back on the stand on Tuesday to continue his testimony relating to the police's investigation into the little girl's disappearance.
Day 5 of the trial related to the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith continued in Saldanha Bay on 7 March 2025 where Joshlin’s mother Kelly Smith, Stevano van Rhyn and Jacquen Appollis are charged for allegedly selling the girl to an unknown woman in February last year. Picture: Carlo Petersen/EWN
SALDANHA BAY - The investigating officer in the Joshlin Smith case has detailed how an extensive search for the missing child yielded no results.
Captain Wesley Lombard was back on the stand on Tuesday to continue his testimony relating to the police's investigation into the little girl's disappearance.
Her mother, Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking after Joshlin went missing in February last year.
The main trial related to the disappearance of Joshlin Smith is set to resume today after a trial within a trial reached its conclusion last week. The court ruled that confession statements by co-accused Jacquen Appollis & Steveno Van Rhyn can be used as evidence in the trial. CP pic.twitter.com/gHppHJj3Js
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 22, 2025
State witness Captain Wesley Lombard has told the court that police followed up every lead to find the missing girl.
Lombard detailed how throughout the investigation, the anti-kidnapping unit were approached by various people, including local sangomas, with information about what happened to Joshlin.
"Some of them offered help, saying they would use traditional ways to find Joshlin."
The captain told the court that on 16 March, his team received information from Interpol about a sighting of Joshlin on a ship in the North Sea.
Lombard said that the ship was searched but police found no sign of Joshlin.
The trial continues.