Defence grills State witness in Joshlin trial

AS DAY 15 ended in the kidnapping trial of Joshlin Smith, Judge Nathan Erasmus said today should be the final day of cross-examination of the State's star witness, Lourentia Lombaard.

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

Lombaard, a former accused turned State witness, has been on the stand since March 13, with some witnesses testifying in between.

To date, 18 witnesses have taken the stand.

Lombaard was arrested in March 2024, weeks after Joshlin went missing from her Middelpos home in Diazville, Saldanha Bay.

The girl, who was 6 years old at the time of her disappearance, was in the care of her mother's boyfriend, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, on February 19, 2024.

Joshlin's mother - Racquel “Kelly” Smith, along with Appollis and friends Steveno van Rhyn and Lombaard, were arrested for kidnapping and human trafficking.

Lombaard gave her evidence-in-chief in the Western Cape High Court sitting in White City Multipurpose Centre, in Before proceedings yesterday, Judge Erasmus summarised to the witness: