In a landmark ruling addressing domestic violence, High Court Justice Trevor Jones has issued a powerful judicial condemnation against gender-based violence while sentencing Vishal Birju for the 2020 killing of Gabriella Amanda Dubarry, the mother of his child. The court accepted a plea agreement that reduced the charge from murder to manslaughter by reason of provocation, resulting in a final sentence of 12 years and 23 days after accounting for time served.
The case stems from the January 9, 2020 incident where Birju, disguised in women’s Islamic clothing, forced entry into Dubarry’s Avocat Village residence. The 28-year-old insurance agent was preparing for work when the masked intruder confronted her. According to evidence presented, Dubarry’s mother recognized Birju’s voice and fled the premises, hearing gunshots moments later. She returned to discover her daughter fatally wounded by gunshots to the head and torso, while Dubarry’s infant child, present during the attack, miraculously remained unharmed.
Justice Jones delivered a stern message alongside the sentencing, emphasizing that “society must understand that a woman is not the property of a man” and that “the retributive sentence must reflect this.” The judge further recommended that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reconsider accepting plea agreements in cases involving domestic violence and allegations of infidelity.
During the proceedings, Birju expressed remorse for his actions, particularly acknowledging the impact on his young son: “I turned my son’s fairytale life into a nightmare when I took his mother from him. The person I’ve caused the most pain to was him.”
Police investigations revealed that Birju had purchased the .38-caliber firearm weeks earlier and confessed to acting under stress related to custody disputes and ongoing conflicts with Dubarry’s family. He subsequently led officers to where he had discarded the weapon following the shooting.
Legal representation included Michelle Ali and Shuzvon Ramdass from the Public Defenders’ Department for Birju, while state prosecutors Solange Devenish and Josiah Soo Hon represented the prosecution.