Novella tells court he wrestled with demons

MURDER accused Diego Novella, this week gave graphic testimony of how Gabriela Kabrins Alban died on July 29, 2015.

He continued his mantra this week, “it was my hands, not my mind” under cross-examination from state prosecutor, Mornay Julius.

He has been testifying for the past month, claiming his mind was “hijacked” and he was wrestling with a “demonic entity” on the night his girlfriend was killed.

Novella claimed he and Alban consumed a cocktail of drugs, sceletium, cannabis oil and cannabis and that his “mental faculties were compromised”. He said he and Alban had an argument and that he chose to leave the hotel room.

“When I left the room and looked back, I saw her through the window as a demon and thought something was wrong here,” Novella said.

He said on his return to the room a voice told him to open the curtains and claimed that was when the entity attacked him. The court heard how Novella wrestled the “entity” to the ground, was finally able to overpower “it” and choked “it” to death.

“I choked the entity for about 15 seconds. I wanted to rid myself of the entity,” Novella said.

Julius asked Novella about bruises on the body of the deceased to which the accused replied: “I have many mental gaps.”

Last Thursday the Guatemalan was unable to continue his testimony and requested to see a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist.

Novella was not able to see the psychiatrist and defence attorney, William Booth raised concern about the lack of medical attention and treatment at Pollsmoor prison.

There was also more drama about the interpreter, and the State had to find a fourth interpreter. Novella, via the interpreter, informed the judge that he was not happy with the translation and the services of Chase Gibson Huff were abruptly ended.

Diego Novella