The painstakingly long trial in the murder of former Malibu resident and Pepperdine alumna Gabriela Kabrins Alban is set to resume in South Africa on Feb. 5, following a long holiday break.
Alban’s father, local restaurateur Howdy Kabrins, has been in South Africa to attend the trial. He recently told The Malibu Times he has been in the hospital battling pneumonia.
Kabrins’ wife—Gaby’s stepmom—Linda, he said, has been “his rock” throughout both the trial and his illness.
The most recent testimony has been focused on forensics, with the man tasked with collecting hair, blood and saliva samples from the crime scene breaking down in court following accusations he did not do his job properly.
Dr. Donovan Anders is the forensic expert who cried on the witness stand as he explained under oath that he did not collect samples as required. The doctor, who works at Victoria Hospital, wiped away tears as he explained to presiding Judge Vincent Saldanha and the courtroom that he works under a “broken” system that hampered his duties. Anders explained that the hospital did not provide him with a drug kit but only an alcohol kit that was useless to fill a vial of blood from Alban’s accused murderer Diego Novella. The Guatemalan national pleaded not guilty in Alban’s grisly murder two years ago in Cape Town, South Africa. His lawyers are arguing a case of diminished capacity as a result of drug use. The defense is claiming a chain of evidence breakdown without proper samples taken at the time of the arrest.