Kelly Smith, who faces charges of kidnapping and human trafficking, has named a key state witness as the potential mastermind behind the mysterious disappearance of five-year-old Joshlin Smith. The allegations, presented in court on Wednesday, claim that Lourentia Lombaard, a former co-accused who has since turned to testify for the State, is covering for herself and her boyfriend, Ayanda Letoni.
Smith’s attorney, Rinesh Sivnarain, laid out these accusations during a heated session, insisting that his client vehemently denies any of Lombaard’s claims regarding the sale of Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000. The intricate web of allegations continues to unfold, painting a picture of conflicting narratives surrounding the child’s disappearance.
Lombaard has previously testified that she witnessed Smith allegedly negotiate the sale of Joshlin, a claim that Sivnarain strongly contests. He argued in court that Lombaard and Letoni were the true orchestrators of the child’s vanishing, suggesting that Lombaard’s testimony is self-serving, aimed at shielding them both.
The court heard that Lombaard was the last person known to have been seen with Joshlin on the fateful day the child went missing. Sivnarain noted a critical moment when Smith came looking for Joshlin, but Letoni could not provide a clear account of Lombaard’s whereabouts during that time. This lack of clarity raises further questions about Lombaard’s role in the events that transpired.
In a curious admission, Lombaard acknowledged that she took Joshlin to make a sandwich before returning her to Smith’s shack. This revelation, alongside Smith’s lawyer’s assertions, casts doubt on the reliability of her account and suggests a deeper entanglement in the case than initially presented.
Moreover, Sivnarain brought to the court’s attention the suspicious timing of Letoni’s departure from Saldanha Bay shortly after Joshlin’s disappearance, insinuating that this could indicate his potential involvement in the alleged crime.
The trial continues to unravel the intricacies of this harrowing case, with Smith’s assertions adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation into Joshlin’s fate.
The trial continues.