DPP Vidal To Appeal Acquittal in 15-Year-Old’s Murder Case

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lyn Vidal, is planning to appeal the court’s decision to acquit Dane Gillett for the murder of 15-year-old Dwayne Gabourel. Yesterday, High Court Justice Derick Sylvester upheld a no-case submission presented by Gillett’s attorney. The Justice, in his 35-page written judgment, stated that after careful examination of the case, the identification of the shooter was too weak to safely convict. However, in a release, the DPP expressed strong disagreement with the court’s findings. Vidal said, quote, “We strongly, though respectfully, disagree with every single finding of the trial judge. We will continue to try, as is our duty, to get justice for Dwayne, his wonderful supportive mother, his little sisters, and the community we serve.” End of quote.  Vidal also confirmed that her office is awaiting the written judgment, which runs to 35 pages, to finalize a Notice of Appeal. This morning, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams weighed in on the ruling and the DPP’s intention to appeal the matter. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “I am not the judge in that matter. I cannot speak to what the judge saw and what made the judge arrive at the conclusion but I am happy to hear that the DPP has said that she’s going to appeal the matter.”

Reporter: Sir in that matter you said in October of 2021 that police would be requesting assistance from the FBI through the US Embassy to enhance the video and try to build a strong case. Was that ever followed through ? 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “From the time I hear the DPP say she’s going to appeal it’s because she in her wisdom as well we do believe we have sufficient to have secured a conviction. So we’ll wait for the appeal and see how it goes from there.”

Gabourel, a promising student at St. John’s College, was shot multiple times as he brought bread from a shop at the corner of New Road and Pickstock Street. His murder was a shock to the community, as he was affectionately known in his neighborhood as the gentle giant. Investigators had stated that his murder was a case of mistaken identity