Cape Town woman accused of kidnapping baby to remain behind bars for now
Shamiema Jacobs is charged with kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
The case was p ostponed for a week.
A 37-year-old Mitchells Plain woman accused of abducting a days-old Strandfontein baby in a busy Bellville shopping mall last weekend, will remain behind bars for now.
When Shamiema Jacobs made her first appearance in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Thursday, the case was postponed for a week to give the State time to gather bail information.
She was arrested on Monday in connection with the baby boy's disappearance and has since been charged with kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
Jacobs looked slightly bewildered and stared blankly at the magistrate while members of the media took pictures of her in the dock.
She wore a scarf around her head, which covered parts of her face, as well as a face mask.
The public gallery was packed to capacity as relatives and friends of the Strandfontein family filled the court. Several TikTok influencers also took up seats.
The court dealt with media applications for permission to take photographs of the accused.
Through her Legal Aid lawyer, Jacobs objected to having cameras inside the courtroom, saying that she 'feared for the safety' of her three children.
After Magistrate Theo Marx established that the children were not inside the court, he said: 'Mrs Jacobs, this is an open court, and in the interests of justice, the media will be allowed to broadcast the proceedings and take pictures inside the court.'
Prosecutor Salaahuddeen Simon did not object to the media's request.
The State requested the postponement for bail information and said it would oppose Jacobs' request for bail.
Jacobs' lawyer did not oppose the postponement request.
The case is back in court on 10 July.
The disappearance of the infant caused widespread panic in the city.
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