By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Lourentia Lombaard, a State witness has testified about how all of the accused agreed to keep quiet about Kelly Smith selling her daughter Joshlin to a sangoma.
Lombaard currently on the witness stand, is testifying about her knowledge of Joshlin’s disappearance.
The child’s mother Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen “Boeta” Apollis and Steveno van Rhyn are facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
This after seven-year-old Joshlin went missing a year ago.
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, on the day the child went missing.
Lombaard originally appeared in court alongside all the accused in connection with Joshlin’s disappearance.
However, the case against her was withdrawn, and she later became a Section 204 witness, which is a witness who was previously involved in the case and can be granted immunity by the court if they testify truthfully.
During the proceedings, Lombaard claimed she heard Kelly tell Boeta that someone was looking for Joshlin. Boeta wasn’t interested and said he didn’t have time to listen to her nonsense.
Lombaard further testified that she heard Kelly receiving a phone call and speaking in English.
All that Lombaard could hear was Kelly saying that she was coming now. Lombaard said Kelly and Joshlin left their home and walked to a white Polo car that was waiting for them not far from the informal settlement.
Eager to find out what was going on, Lombaard continued to watch Kelly from a distance.
“I saw a woman, dressed like a sangoma, alighting and talking to Kelly and Joshlin. I saw the sangoma handing Kelly something, which she slid into the front of her pants,” Lombaard told the court.
She claimed the sangoma was a short, black woman with white dots on her face, a band on her head and wearing a green dress.
Lombaard said she continued to follow Kelly and Joshlin as they made their way home.
She claims she was again standing outside Kelly’s home and heard her tell Boeta: “Here is the money the sangoma gave for Joshlin.”
She told the court Boeta wanted to know how much it was. Kelly said R20,000.
Police had previously arrested a supposed sangoma, Phumza Sigaqa, in the case, before dropping charges. Her family said she was not a sangoma and did not know Kelly.
Lombaard is set to continue her testimony on Monday.