More delays in Novella case

THE trial of murder accused Diego Novella hit another snag in the Western Cape High Court this week when the State and defence butted heads over the issue of suitably qualified interpreters for the Guatemalan national.

Novella’s re-examination by defence attorney William Booth was delayed when the accused indicated that he would not continue his testimony until a qualified, court-certified interpreter was found.

Novella faces a murder charge following the death of his girlfriend, Gabriela Kabrins Alban, at a Camps Bay hotel on July 29, 2015.

Novella stuck to his original claim that his mind had been “hijacked” and his mental faculties “compromised” as he and the deceased had consumed a cocktail of drugs on the night before Kabrins Alban was killed.

It is the State’s case that Novella murdered her after an argument during which she called him an “idiot” and a “faggot”.

This week, State prosecutor Louise Friester-Sampson expressed “great frustration” over the issue of the certification and qualification demands of the interpreters by Booth and Novella.

Novella objected to the nine interpreters that have assisted in the case so far on the basis that they are not court-certified interpreters.

The defence also questioned the person who had issued the competency certificates to for all the previous interpreters.

Proceedings were again stalled on Thursday when the newest interpreter, Julio Ruiz, did not make the grade according to Novella.

Booth reiterated that “fair trial” procedures were at the heart of the matter and Judge Vincent Saldanha conceded to the defence’s request that a court-certified interpreter be appointed.

On Thursday afternoon, a tenth interpreter, Marta Behar, was appointed. She is a sworn translator with the SA Institute of Translators. Behar is