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Final Stages of Cross-Examination in Joshlin Smith Kidnapping Case
The cross-examination of state witness Lourentia Lombaard in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial is set to wrap up on Tuesday the 25th.
Lombaard, initially a suspect but later turned state witness, testified that she overheard Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, discussing plans to sell her daughter before the six-year-old vanished from her Middelpos home in Saldanha Bay on February 19, 2024.
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The cross-examination of key state witness Lourentia ‘Renz’ Lombaard in the Joslin Smith trial continued this morning, with her testimony revealing significant inconsistencies.
Lombaard was emotional once again during the cross-examination, as her statements were scrutinized. pic.twitter.com/Xh79KEmNQu
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 24, 2025
Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, was arrested on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
On Monday, Judge Nathan Erasmus summarized Lombaard’s testimony, stating that Smith allegedly orchestrated the sale, Appollis initially resisted but later assisted in the cover-up, and van Rhyn was present but did not actively participate. Lombaard also detailed being taken to a safe house, where she was allegedly assaulted and threatened.
[WATCH] Defence lawyer Nobahle Mkabayi accuses state witness Lourentia Lombaard of lying, during the trial into the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/FxR5bdH8Xz
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 24, 2025
Also Read: Chilling Testimony Reveals Missing Joshlin Smith Was Allegedly Sold for R20,000
Defense attorney Nobahle Mkabayi challenged inconsistencies in Lombaard’s statements, accusing her of fabricating parts of her testimony.
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Sourccd: African Insider
