Tears in court for Camps Bay victim

Feebearing - Cape Town - 150804 - Diego Novella appears in the Cape Town Magistrates Court in connection with the murder of American Marketing Executive Gabriela Kabrins. Pictured: Members of Gabriela's family are escorted from the Cape Town Magistrates Court to a waiting vehicle. REPORTER: NATASHA PRINCE. PICTURE: WILLEM LAW.

Feebearing - Cape Town - 150804 - Diego Novella appears in the Cape Town Magistrates Court in connection with the murder of American Marketing Executive Gabriela Kabrins. Pictured: Members of Gabriela's family are escorted from the Cape Town Magistrates Court to a waiting vehicle. REPORTER: NATASHA PRINCE. PICTURE: WILLEM LAW.

Published Aug 5, 2015

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Cape Town - Relatives of slain US businesswoman Gabriela Alban wept and consoled each other on Tuesday as Guatemalan murder accused Diego Novella made his second appearance in court.

Novella, 41, was arrested last Wednesday and charged with murder after Alban, 39, was found dead in a room at a luxury Camps Bay hotel.

The case had previously been postponed to secure a Spanish interpreter at proceedings.

On Tuesday the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court was packed as Alban’s relatives and local and foreign media streamed into the courtroom.

Alban’s relatives refused to speak to the media on Tuesday, but comforted each other throughout the court proceedings.

Novella, who has dual Guatemalan and Italian citizenship, ambled up from the holding cells, his legs shackled.

Bearded, with shoulder-length sleek black hair combed back over a balding head, he appeared calm and wore a blue jacket and jeans.

The incident last week sparked interest from international media, with reports saying that Alban had apparently died after a sex and drugs session that went wrong and that Novella had been arrested while walking “semi-naked and disoriented” on Camps Bay beach.

The Daily Mail also reported that Alban had been the victim of a horrific sexual assault using a curling iron.

Novella’s attorney, William Booth, said the defence had not had an opportunity to consult properly with the accused.

State prosecutor Carmen Daniels said that Friday had been proposed for a bail application.

Booth told magistrate Joe Magele the request from the defence was that the date must remain.

“I have not had sight of the evidence and have not been provided any of the details linking Mr Novella to the incident.

“Without that information it will be difficult to plan the bail application,” Booth said.

Booth told the court there had been “so much speculation in the media” and said that he would looking into why Novella had been moved to the main section of Pollsmoor Prison after the court had endorsed that he be kept in the in the hospital section of the prison.

Daniels said the State was still awaiting the autopsy report, and that additional charges could be added once the investigation was complete.

Magele postponed the matter to Friday.

Asked what his concerns were about media reports, Booth said: “Things about the drug dealing and about where he was found; walking on the beach partially clothed.”

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the State would oppose bail.

“We consider him to be a flight risk.

“He had two passports, and neither of them indicate his port of entry,” Ntabazalila said. - Additional reporting by the Cape Argus

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Cape Times

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