Tobago: Family claims innocent man wrongfully charged in Deborah Gopaul murder case

Trinidad and Tobago: A family connected to the murder of Tobago resident 56-year-old Deborah Gopaul, who was found dead in her vehicle in 2024, has come forward with new claims alleging that an innocent man is being held for the crime while the real perpetrators remain free.

In the allegations shared with WIC News, the person who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that the officials charged the victim’s brother-in-law 49-year-old Hilton Ollivierre, just because Gopaul was found burnt inside his vehicle along the Canoe Bay area. The man’s relatives are now saying that he has been wrongly accused.

As part of their claims, the family said that the arresting officer, Robert Wharwood, and another officer known as O’Neil, were mentioned by inmates who allegedly took Hilton out of his cell and beat him for several days.

The family added that Wharwood and O’Neil along with a female officer whose name they do not know are building a house near Store Bay Local Road in Crown Point and the three of them accepted bribe money at that location.

The family also claims that they have been living in fear and said that they feel watched by police. They allege that their house was burned down last Christmas and that their business was broken into but nothing has come from their reports.

They said that they cannot afford another lawyer and believe the police know who drove into their business, yet no action has been taken.

One family member told us that even when they went to the courthouse to speak with a JP, they were turned away and told to get a lawyer. They said they are tired, frustrated, and feel trapped in what they describe as a corrupted system.

They told WIC News they are placing their trust in the media to make the information public and plan to send more material. These are all allegations made by the family.

Disclaimer: All allegations shared with WIC News have been presented exactly as received from individuals who requested anonymity due to safety concerns.