Joshlin Smith trial: Cross-examination of State witness Lombaard to continue

SALDANHA BAY - Defense attorneys for the accused in the Joshlin Smith trial will on Wednesday continue trying to discredit the State's star witness, Lourentia Lombaard.

Joshlin's mother, Kelly Smith,  Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking for the girl's disappearance.

The accused are on trial in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre.

On Tuesday, Judge Nathan Erasmus warned defence attorney Fanie Harmse to stick to "the meat of the matter" in his cross-examination of Lombaard.

READ: Witness testifies Kelly Smith angrily pulled Joshlin into shack on night before disappearance

Harmse, who is accused number one Appollis' lawyer on Tuesday tried to discredit Lombaard by saying she's mistaken about certain details in her testimony.

Lombaard has implicated all of the accused as being complicit in Smith's plan to sell Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000.

Lombaard testified she witnessed a detective question Appollis about stolen items on Sunday 18 February 2024, the day before Joshlin went missing.

Harmse told Lombaard that Appollis was interviewed by the detective, but it happened on Saturday 17 February 2024, and not on the Sunday.