State witness and former accused Laurentia Lombaard has taken the stand. She was charged with Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis, and Steveno 'Steffie' van Rhyn. The charges were withdrawn as she turned State witness.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
The highly anticipated testimony of Lourentia Lombaard in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial has officially begun. Lombaard, a former accused who turned State witness, took the stand after lunch.
She was initially arrested alongside Joshlin’s mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, and two others: Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn.
Their arrests followed the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin from her Middelpos home on 19 February 2024.
Joshlin had not attended school, with Kelly claiming her daughter was unwell and that her school uniform was dirty.
She stated that she had left Joshlin in the care of her boyfriend, Boeta, on the day the child went missing.
Originally from Wolseley in the Western Cape, Lombaard is a mother of four. Two of her children live in Worcester, while the other two—aged two and three—reside with their father, Ayanda Litoli, in the Eastern Cape.
Lombaard admitted that after moving to Saldanha Bay, she became involved with drugs. She also revealed how she met the three accused.
“I have known Boeta for a year and Kelly for more than a year. I don’t really know Steveno well—I’ve only known him for about seven or eight months. I met him when he was helping Ayanda at the carwash and asking for money,” she testified.
State witness and former accused Laurentia Lombaard has taken the stand.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
She further explained her connection to Boeta, linking him to drug dealings involving her ex-partner, Ayanda.
“I know Boeta because Ayanda was a drug dealer. Boeta would buy or help sell the drugs. We would go and buy drugs together and smoke,” she said.
Lombaard disclosed that she became friends with both Kelly and Boeta through drug use.
“I didn’t really spend time with Steveno. But if I didn’t have a ‘lollie’ for Tik, I would borrow one from Kelly, and she would give it to me. I would smoke with her and sometimes with Boeta. That’s how we became friends. This happened regularly,” she admitted.
The trial is continues.
Cape Argus