Joshlin Smith Case: Emotional Testimony Reveals the Little Girl’s Final Words

The trial surrounding the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith resumed in the Western Cape High Court, with more shocking revelations coming to light. The courtroom was tense as the defence continued its cross-examination of Lourentia Lombaard, a former accused who has since turned State witness.

Lombaard, once a close associate of the accused, is now a key witness in the State’s case against Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and his friend Stevano van Rhyn. The trio faces serious allegations of being involved in a horrifying plot to sell little Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000.

Defence attorney Fanie Harmse, who represents Appollis, spent the day challenging Lombaard’s version of events as she described the day Joshlin went missing. Harmse argued that his client was unaware of any plan by Kelly Smith to sell her daughter and suggested that Lombaard’s story was inconsistent.

Central to the day’s testimony was a heartbreaking moment recounted by Lombaard. She claimed that on the morning Joshlin vanished, she witnessed an unsettling exchange between mother and child. According to Lombaard, Kelly Smith told her daughter she was going to pack a bag for her. Confused and concerned, little Joshlin asked her mother, “Why mommy, where am I going?”

This chilling question from the child captured the courtroom’s attention and painted a grim picture of the moments leading up to her disappearance. However, Harmse quickly pointed out that Lombaard had failed to mention this crucial conversation in her original confession when she became a State witness back in October of the previous year. He pressed her for an explanation as to why this emotional detail was left out initially.

Lombaard responded with visible discomfort, admitting she had no answer for why she hadn’t disclosed it earlier. This moment of hesitation gave the defence an opportunity to suggest that Lombaard’s testimony might be unreliable or manipulated to strengthen the State’s case.

The defence’s strategy seems focused on undermining Lombaard’s credibility and creating doubt around her statements. Harmse reiterated that his client, Appollis, had no knowledge of any such plan involving Joshlin’s sale and challenged the witness’s motives for turning against the other accused.

The trial has captivated the local community of Saldanha Bay and beyond, as many still hope for answers about what truly happened to the missing child. Joshlin Smith was reported missing in 2024, and since then, her disappearance has left a gaping wound in her community.

As the trial proceeds, more details are expected to emerge. However, the court remains divided on the reliability of Lombaard’s statements, especially after today’s session. The haunting words, “Where am I going, mommy?” continue to echo, reminding everyone of the innocent child at the center of this tragic case.

The court will continue hearing arguments in the coming days as the State and defence battle over the truth behind Joshlin’s disappearance.