Joshlin Smith trial: State says former accused turned State witness' testimony is reliable

SALDANHA BAY - A State prosecutor in the Joshlin Smith trial on Tuesday set out to show the testimony of former accused turned State witness Lourencia Lombaard is reliable.

Lombaard buckled several times under cross-examination after implicating the accused for allegedly selling Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000.

State prosecutors have started presenting their final arguments against the accused for presiding judge Nathan Erasmus to deliver his judgment on Friday.

The missing child's mother Kelly Smith Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking.

State prosecutor Zelda Swanepoel told that Lombaard might not have been a credible witness, but her testimony was reliable.

Swanepoel used the testimony of another state witness Steven Coetzee to corroborate Lombaard's version the events that led to Joshlin's disappearance.

Coetzee previously testified Smith told him about her plan to sell Joshlin for R20,000 six months before the child went missing.

"The fact Mr Coetzee specifically refers to R20 000... Miss Lombaard's testimony is when Kelly tells boeta, 'hier is die geld wat ek by die sangoma gekry het' he asks, how much is it and she answers, it's R20 000."

Swanepoel also referred to the confession statements of Appollis and van Rhyn who stated they were to receive R20,000 rand for leaving Joshlin with former accused Phumza Sigaqa.

Lawyers for the accused are expected to start their final arguments.