On the 14th day of the Joshlin Smith trial, key witness Laurentia Lombaard stunned the court by confessing she lied to police during her arrest, casting doubts on her credibility under intense cross-examination.
Defense attorney Fanie Harmse, representing Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, rigorously questioned Lombaard about discrepancies between her courtroom testimony and earlier police statements. Lombaard remains under cross-examination.
The court learned that Captain Cilliers initially interviewed Lombaard following her arrest, capturing the session on film, which has already been reviewed by the judge and attorneys. It remains uncertain if this footage will be shown in court.
Lombaard expressed mistrust toward Captain Cilliers during her initial questioning, explaining to Judge Nathan Erasmus, “I didn’t know she was going to come to me. I just spoke. I didn’t know if I could tell people what happened.” The judge questioned why she spoke to the officer despite these reservations.
The court also addressed Lombaard’s state during questioning, noting she had used drugs two days before her arrest, raising concerns she may have been influenced at the time of the interview.
When Judge Erasmus probed if Lombaard anticipated benefits from cooperating with police, she denied this. However, the judge referenced her previous statement requesting free bail, to which she replied, “She asked me, so I answered. She didn’t simplify the statement for me.”
Financial arrangements regarding the alleged trafficking also resurfaced. Lombaard previously testified about money distribution discussions occurring on Sunday, February 18, 2024, a day before Joshlin’s disappearance. When confronted by Judge Erasmus about conflicting statements captured on video—claiming discussions occurred Monday—Lombaard admitted to lying to Captain Cilliers.
“Yes,” Lombaard confirmed when asked directly by Judge Erasmus if she had lied, further complicating the trial.
