Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, through her lawyer Rinesh Sivnarain, claimed that State witness Lourentia Lombaard and her boyfriend were the masterminds behind Joshlin Smith’s disappearance.
This statement was made during cross-examination on Wednesday as Lombaard took the stand in the Western Cape High Court, sitting at White City Multipurpose Centre, Diazville, Saldanha Bay.
Lombaard was arrested along with Kelly, her boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn.
However, charges against her were dropped after she turned State witness under Section 204.
Joshlin went missing from her Middelpos home on February 19, 2024, while allegedly under the care of Boeta.
She gave her final statement in October, but the court learned that in her previous statements, she had not told the whole truth because she was scared and under the influence of drugs.
In her testimony, Lombaard claimed she saw Kelly walk with Joshlin to a white VW Polo, where they met a sangoma with white dots on her face, dressed in green.
She said she then saw Kelly receive something she assumed was money.
Afterward, Lombaard went home, a short distance from Kelly’s shack. When she returned, she eavesdropped and overheard Kelly and Boeta discussing the plan to sell Joshlin.
She testified: “Kelly promised to give me R1 000 from the R20 000 she was paid by the sangoma.”
Sivnarain challenged her, asking: “You said Kelly had the money, so why didn’t you ask for your share?”
Lombaard responded: “I heard Kelly speak to Boeta about the money. And when I heard the plan about Joshlin, I went into their shack.”
She admitted she did not ask for her share.
Sivnarain then stated that his client believes Lombaard and Ayanda Litoni were the real masterminds behind Joshlin’s disappearance and that this is why Litoni left the area.
“She will deny that she acted in common purpose with the co-accused or with you to commit the crime. She believes you are only doing so to save Ayanda,” he said.
The cross-examination concluded, and Judge Nathan Erasmus informed Lombaard that she would be called back to court when the matter reached its next stage.
The trial continues.