Cape Town - The man accused of murdering SPCA vet Dr Natheem Jacobs will return to court next year as the investigation into the fatal stabbing continues.
This was revealed at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where Jovan Williams made his first appearance after being denied bail at the same court.
Williams is accused of stabbing the vet, who worked for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, during a scuffle. It is alleged by the state that the 39-year-old man was part of a wheel theft syndicate who had targeted a vehicle owned by Jacobs’s wife when they were confronted outside his Garlandale home.
Jacobs’s death sparked an outcry as cops went on the hunt for Williams, who had left his cellphone at the crime scene.
After months of searching, senior police detective Adrian Pretorius turned to Cape Argus sister paper, the Daily Voice, for help, and shortly after Williams’s picture was published he handed himself over to the police.
In his first two appearances it was revealed that on the scene investigators found the wheelie bin the group had used to transport the stolen wheels, a backpack with tools and a cellphone.
The cellphone containing Williams’s details was found on the scene and it was also revealed that he had previous convictions for the illegal possession of ammunition and drugs, and malicious damage to property.
His bail was denied in September after he admitted stabbing someone on the night of the murder.
During proceedings yesterday it was revealed that the post-mortem pictures were still outstanding and the case was postponed to January 30.
