A Section 204 witness has taken the stand in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial being heard in the High Court sitting at Saldanha Bay on the Cape West Coast.

A Section 204 witness is someone who was potentially implicated in a crime, but becomes a witness in exchange for indemnity from prosecution.

This witness is Lorentia Lombaard, who was once a co-accused in this case.

Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Apollis, also known as Boeta  and Steveno van Rhyn are facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.

Lombaard told the court that she met the trio through her partner and that they were all involved in drugs.

“Ayanda is a drug dealer and they would come and buy now and again from him. That’s how I know Boeta and I assisted Ayanda in selling the drugs and that’s how I know Boeta,” says Lombaard.

She will take to the stand again on Friday.

Earlier, witness Tersia Kruger broke down in tears, while speaking about how the girl’s disappearance affected her.

During her testimony, Kruger corroborated what handyman Nico Steven Coetzee told the court on Wednesday. He testified that Kelly told him in August 2023 that she is going to have her children taken away, and will even accept R5,000 if the people in question do not offer R20,000.

Kruger said Coetzee did in fact tell her and another employer about this conversation on 6 March 2024.

“For the rest of my life, I won’t be able to forget Joshlin Smith, because her day of disappearance was on one of my grandchildren’s birthdays. I will always remember it,” says Kruger.

VIDEO| Today’s court proceedings at the Joshlin Smith kidnapping case where the fourth accused turned witness took the stand: