In a dramatic turn in one of South Africa’s most haunting child trafficking cases, the Western Cape High Court has granted immunity from prosecution to Laurentia Lombaard — the key witness whose testimony helped convict three individuals for the kidnapping and trafficking of six-year-old Joshlin Smith.
Lombaard, once a co-accused, stood alongside Kelly Smith, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn when the investigation first broke. But in October 2024, she flipped — agreeing to testify for the state under Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. Today, August 13, 2025, that decision officially paid off as Judge Nathan Erasmus ruled in her favour, granting her full indemnity.
Her courtroom testimony, often tearful and raw, was instrumental in exposing the details of Joshlin’s tragic disappearance. Lombaard revealed that Kelly Smith — Joshlin’s mother — sold the child for R20,000 to a woman allegedly acting as a sangoma. Lombaard was promised R1,000 for her silence, while van Rhyn was offered R1,200. According to her, neither ever received the money.
Though Lombaard admitted she initially misled police, she later corrected her statements, citing her long-standing battle with drug addiction and a lack of formal education as contributing factors to her silence and fear. Her truth, though delayed, became the linchpin of the prosecution’s case.
Judge Erasmus, in his ruling, acknowledged the complexities of her situation — including her vulnerability, time spent in witness protection, and the emotional toll of testifying against people she once knew. Crucially, he found that Lombaard played no direct role in orchestrating or carrying out the crime.
The three convicted — Smith, Appollis, and van Rhyn — are now serving life sentences plus 10 years each for their roles in the abduction and trafficking of Joshlin, who vanished on February 19, 2024. Her whereabouts remain unknown.
While the immunity ruling will no doubt stir public debate, the court’s decision highlights the delicate balance between justice and the pursuit of truth in complex criminal networks — especially those preying on society’s most vulnerable.
