'Very dangerous' Trini wanted in British Virgin Islands

THE Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) has issued a public notice calling for assistance in locating John Dawn, a Trinidadian man it describes as highly dangerous.

He is wanted for questioning in connection with a recent murder committed on the island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

In a press release on May 15, shared via the RVIPF's official Facebook page, authorities identified Dawn by multiple aliases, including "Small Brent", "Brent Dain Danglade", "John Emmanuel" and "Brent Miller". He has been listed as wanted since May.

According to the RVIPF, preliminary investigations suggest Dawn may still have access to identification documents under his previous name.

In February 2005, under the name Brent Danglade, Dawn served as one of the prosecution’s main witnesses in a conspiracy-to-murder case against the late Yasin Abu Bakr, then leader of the Jamaat al Muslimeen.

During cross-examination in that matter, he admitted involvement in criminal activities including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking and robbery, though he denied having killed anyone. He confessed to having participated in the murder of a man on Bournes Road, St James.

Dawn was a member of the Jamaat al Muslimeen from 2001 to 2003. At the time of the court proceedings, he claimed to have renounced Islam and identified as a practising Catholic.

In October 2010, murder charges against both Yasin Abu Bakr and John Dawn (under the alias Brent Miller) were discontinued. The charges stemmed from the May 20, 1998, abduction and killing of Israel Sammy, a 22-year-old mechanic from Boissiere Village, Maraval.

According to the ruling, Dawn had confessed to participating in a joint enterprise to murder Sammy, but the evidence also implicated Bakr. However, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard advised the Port of Spain Eighth Magistrate's Court that the state would not proceed due to insufficient evidence.

Gaspard concluded that “the prospect of a guilty verdict was negligible or nil” and filed a formal notice of discontinuance.

The RVIPF said it considers Dawn a serious threat to public safety, describing him as armed and extremely dangerous, with known associations to kidnapping, extortion and multiple homicides in TT and across the Caribbean.

It strongly advised the public not to approach, confront or attempt to assist Dawn under any circumstances, emphasising that assisting a fugitive is a serious criminal offence, and those found to be harbouring, facilitating or aiding Dawn individually "will face the full extent of the law."

To minimise risk, residents were urged to lock and secure their homes, vehicles and vessels, as police believe Dawn may try to access or use private property.

The RVIPF said it is working in close co-operation with regional and international law enforcement agencies and is pursuing all investigative leads to ensure his swift capture.