Crime scene photos finally spark emotion in lover accused of Camps Bay murder

Murder accused Diego Novella’s “macho man act” broke down on Tuesday when he was confronted with images of his girlfriend’s body.

Novella was visibly upset after a lunch adjournment in which he and his lawyer‚ William Booth‚ reviewed the images of Gabriela Alban. Her body was found at the Camps Bay Retreat Boutique Hotel in July 2015.

The Guatemalan has shown little emotion at his various court appearances but he wore a pained expression on Tuesday as Judge Vincent Saldhana read aloud the detailed description of injuries sustained by Alban.

• Explicit photos of Camps Bay murder scene will be made public‚ judge tells defendantMurder accused Diego Novella was set to finalise his plea on Tuesday afternoon after a morning full of debate over his “diminished capacity” when his girlfriend‚ Gabriela Alban‚ was found dead. 

Multiple haemorrhages‚ a fractured hand‚ and a severe groin injury sustained during sexual penetration led a long list.

Alban’s father‚ Howdy Kabrins‚ from California in the US‚ said it was time “after months of no emotion” to see Novella’s “macho man act” break. Kabrins’ testimony was delayed when Saldhana agreed to adjourn the case until Wednesday.

Saldhana warned Booth that if he chose to proceed with a “diminished capacity defence” his client would still be criminally liable and would face a “competent” verdict.

This defence was based on initial reports by a panel of physicians at Valkenberg psychiatric hospital‚ who found that at the time of the murder he did indeed suffer from “diminished responsibility” due to drug ingestion.

• Guatemalan tourist pleads not guilty to murder of girl friend in Cape Town hotelA day after what would have been Gabriela Alban’s 40th birthday‚ her parents and closest family were in the Cape Town High Court for her murder trial. 

Saldhana refused to accept this decision as a reasonable defence because of the same panel’s determination that Novella was competent to stand trial.

Further conflict came at the end of the morning’s proceedings when Novella became visibly upset as Saldhana announced that crime scene photos would become public.

Novella repeatedly asked “what the benefit of publishing these photos would be”‚ to which Saldhana only replied he could not speak on behalf of the media or public.

• Cape Town court delays are killing me‚ says father of murdered US touristThe numerous delays in Diego Novella’s murder case are taking a toll on the father of his slain girlfriend. 

Saldhana cautioned reporters in the gallery to proceed with extreme caution when handling crime scene photographs.

“These images are explicit and may upset the people that see them. They must be handled with care and with absolute respect for the dignity of the deceased‚” Saldhana said.

-TMG Digital/TimesLIVE