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Guatemalan accused of murdering his American girlfriend in Camps Bay expected in court

Guatemalan Diego Novella, who is accused of murdering his American girlfriend in Cape Town, is expected to return to the Western Cape High Court on Monday.

Novella allegedly killed Gabriella Kabrins Albans in an upmarket hotel in Camps Bay on July 29, 2015.

Novella, who was declared a suicide risk in court last Monday, had testified in February that he hit Albans and defecated on her because he thought she was a demonic entity.

He then placed a piece of paper on her body with the word "cerote" written on it. The word means "piece of sh*t" in Spanish.

Novella's advocate, William Booth, told News24 he had told the court he was concerned about his client's emotional and mental wellbeing after the startling statements, and the judge had wanted Novella examined.

He also wanted Novella to be examined by a private psychiatrist, in addition to the district surgeon.

Read more here: Camps Bay murder accused Novella declared suicide risk

When Novella returned to the dock later on Monday, Prosecutor Louise Fiester-Sampson said he had been diagnosed with a panic attack and was a suicide risk, but could still follow proceedings.

The court heard that Novella was expected to be moved from a single cell to a cell where there was more than one person.

His belongings will be searched for any risky items, and staff will keep a closer watch on him.

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