The highly anticipated pretrial hearing for the disappearance and alleged trafficking of six-year-old Joshlin Smith began today at the Western Cape High Court, where the State is expected to introduce Laurentia Lombaard as a key witness against the accused.
Joshlin Smith case: State expected to field Lombaard as key witness
Joshlin’s mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and co-accused Steveno van Rhyn are set to appear for the first formal pretrial session, nearly a year after Joshlin vanished from her home in Vredenburg on 19 February 2024.
The trio faces charges of kidnapping and human trafficking, with the State expected to present new evidence that could strengthen the case against them.
A major shift in the case came after Lombaard, previously a suspect, turned State witness, offering damning evidence that allegedly implicates Smith and Appollis as the ringleaders behind Joshlin’s disappearance.
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According to the indictment, Lombaard is expected to testify that Kelly Smith had planned to sell her children as early as August 2023, with the transaction set to take place in January or February 2024.
The court is expected to hear critical details about a white vehicle seen outside Smith’s home the day before Joshlin went missing.
Lombaard claims that on 18 February 2024, Kelly met with an unknown woman, received something from her, and later discussed with Appollis, van Rhyn, and Lombaard how the money from the sale would be split.
What we now know about Joshlin’s disappearance
Joshlin’s disappearance triggered an international search effort, even involving Interpol, yet she remains missing nearly a year later.
According to the State’s version of events, Kelly Smith deliberately kept Joshlin and her brother from attending school on 19 February.
She packed a bag of clothes, left for work, and left her children in the custody of Appollis.
While Kelly was away, Appollis, van Rhyn, and Lombaard allegedly smoked inside the house while the children were present.
Later that day, Kelly returned home, took Joshlin and the bag of clothes, and walked to a waiting white vehicle.
According to the indictment, she got into the car with her daughter and drove away.
That evening, Kelly reported Joshlin missing, launching what would become one of South Africa’s most chilling missing child cases.
Despite widespread searches in Saldanha Bay and surrounding areas, Joshlin has never been found. Initial leads, including bloody clothes discovered near the bay, led nowhere after DNA tests confirmed they were not linked to the missing girl.
With Lombaard’s new cooperation, prosecutors are hopeful that the missing pieces of the puzzle will soon come together.
The State has indicated that additional suspects may still be arrested, and new charges could be added as investigations continue.
