Just In: Joslin was ‘sold to a sangoma,’ court hears!

LOURENTIA “Renz” Lombaard, a friend of the mum of the missing girl Joslin Smith, disclosed how much Joslin was allegedly sold for to a woman who appeared to be a sangoma.

Lombaard, initially an accused and later became a state witness, claimed that Joslin’s mum received R20 000.

She made this statement while giving evidence in the Western Cape High Court, held at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Saldanha Bay on Friday, 14 March.

Joslin’s mum, Racquel “Kelly” Smith; her boyfriend Jacquen Rowhan Apollis; and his friend, Steveno Dumaizio Duwayne Van Rhyn, are facing charges of contravening the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act and have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Lombaard alleged that Kelly received R20 000 for Joslin and promised Lombaard R1 000 to keep quiet about the crime. Kelly was also supposed to give R1 200 to Van Rhyn, who was aware of the child’s sale.

Lombaard claimed she never pursued the money, and Kelly never gave it to her. In Lombaard’s presence, Kelly showed Apollis the money and said: “Here is the money the sangoma gave me.”

She then said Kelly then turned to her and said: “Renz, I started a terrible thing. I have now sold my child to a sangoma.”

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Lombaard confronted Kelly, asking why she would sell her child for money, and was told that Kelly needed money and was suffering. When Lombaard insisted on condemning Kelly’s actions, Kelly responded: “It’s done, and I can’t do anything about it.”

Lombaard’s testimony detailed the events of the day Joslin went missing. She claimed Joslin ate food at her house with her kids the morning she disappeared.

Afterward, Joslin allegedly went to Kelly and Apollis’s place.

Lombaard claimed that Kelly, Apollis, and Joslin’s elder brother were at the shack. She heard Kelly talk about sending Joslin away and questioned how she planned to do so, but Kelly replied, saying she would “figure it out”.

Later that day, Kelly went to a VW Polo with Joslin and spoke to a black woman wearing green clothes in the passenger seat. Lombaard said she saw the woman hand Kelly something, which she quickly hid in her trousers.

When they went to meet the woman, Lombaard said Joslin asked: “Mummy, where are we going now? and Kelly replied, don’t ask me, just come with me.”

Lombaard also asked Kelly about her destination, but Kelly responded: “It’s none of your business.”

Lombaard then secretly followed and saw her talking to the occupants of the VW Polo.