Joshlin: accused confesses

Middelpos resident Lourencia “Renz” Lombaard has replaced alleged sangoma Phumza Sigaqa as the fourth accused in the disappearance case of Joshlin Smith.

A nervous Lombaard made a brief appearance in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when she was charged with human trafficking and kidnapping.

The mother of four was arrested last Friday by police detectives.

According to state prosecutor Jacques van Zyl, she made a confession before her arrest, but no further details were provided.

Lombaard said she wanted to apply for legal aid and requested a translator.

Her case has been postponed to next Monday. She will remain in custody.

On leaving court, she was confronted by a handful of Middelpos residents who implored her to “speak the truth”, to which she replied: “I will.”

Today marks a month since Joshlin, the six year old with the striking green eyes, mysteriously vanished from the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay.

The 32-year-old Lombaard is said be a friend and neighbour of Joshlin’s mother, Raquel “Kelly” Smith.

Smith was charged, alongside her boyfriend, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis and another friend of the couple, Steveno van Rhyn, with human trafficking and kidnapping two weeks ago.

Senior advocate Aradhana Heeramun, appearing for the state, alleged last week that Smith had instructed Appollis and Van Rhyn to sell Joshlin to another Middelpos man for R20 000 for muti.

The men allegedly made this confession after a marathon 36-hour interrogation at Saldanha police station.

Last Wednesday, the three accused withdrew their bail bids, while the criminal charges against Sigaqa were withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.

The trio is set to appear again in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on 13 May.

Smith and Lombaard have been remanded to Cape Town’s notorious Pollsmoor Prison; Appollis and Van Rhyn to Malmesbury Correctional Services.