STEVENO van Rhyn’s lawyer yesterday accused State witness Lourentia Lombard of lying in order to link her client to the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.
The latest drama in the Western Cape High Court trial of Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, her berk Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and their chommie “Steffie” van Rhyn saw the latter’s defence counsel, Attorney Nobahle Mkabayi, claim that Lombaard was telling liegstories to cover for her boyfriend Ayanda Litoni.
Former-accused Lombaard, known as Renz, has testified that she overheard the missing girl’s mother Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith tell her boyfriend Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis that she had sold her daughter to a sangoma for R20 000.
Joshlin went missing from her Middelpos home on 19 February 2024 and Renz claims that the other accused and herself would split the geld.
She claimed that Kelly said she would pay her R1 000 to keep quiet. Steffie was set to get R1 200 and that Boeta and Kelly would share the rest.
Mkabayi asked Lombaard if Van Rhyn had any input in the discussion, and if he brought any ideas.
She sais: “You can’t say that he was part of the discussion if he didn’t bring any ideas or opinions.”
Lombaard said he was part of the conversation because he said he would not tell the police.
Mkabayi continued: “He said nothing because he had seen or knew nothing.”
Lombaard said: “He was part of the discussion, because he agreed that he would not say anything to the police and that we were not going to say anything to the police.”
Mkabayi accused Lombaard of lying to the court: “You said you saw my client outside, you are misleading the court. I put it to you that it was not him.
“The reason you are implicating and dragging him in this case is because of what you said yesterday... you are angry at him for implicating Ayanda [Litoni].”
Lombaard stood firm in her testimony and said that Van Rhyn was there and part of the discussions.
Mkabayi then added that Boeta claimed that Steveno was not there, but Renz replied that it was Boeta who was lying as he had seen Van Rhyn.
When Mkabayi asked Renz what her client was wearing on 18 February, the day before Joshlin’s disappearance, she said she took not remember because she smoked drugs.
