MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man implicated in the 2017 murder of two brothers in Albion, St James, was granted bail in the sum of $1 million when he appeared in the St James Parish Court on Tuesday.

Oran Dunn, who is of St Mary and St James addresses and was previously on the St James police’s most wanted list, was charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Patmore “Fruity” Johnson and his brother, Ocan “Wissy Wassy” Johnson, of Albion in the parish.

Presiding judge, Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley, granted him bail after his attorney, Charles Sinclair, filed a bail application on his behalf.

Sinclair, during the bail hearing, refuted the prosecution’s claim that Dunn evaded authorities for seven years following the 2017 double murder. He emphasised that Dunn was not aware that the police were looking for him and turned himself in to the St Mary police after learning of his wanted status in St James.

“The incident may have taken place at that time in 2017, but if you look on what the report is saying, on February 16, 2024, Oran Dunn surrendered himself. It is not a situation that he was looked for, sought after, and captured; a relative of Oran Dunn contacted me to say that his picture was put on this thing the JCF [Jamaica Constabulary Force] has called Wanted Wednesday on Instagram, and it came out on February 14,” said Sinclair.

“What is he doing in St Mary?” Judge Smith-Ashley asked.

“That is where he resides from a long time ago; his family is there. Mr Dunn is denying that he is a person who would have caused the death of anyone… Immediately it was brought to his attention that he was a person of interest, and he went to the police station and said, ‘Here I am.’ He has never committed any offence before, there is nothing against his name, and he himself surrendered to the police,” Sinclair replied.

The attorney further contended that there has been no indication that Dunn would have interfered with any witnesses in the case between 2017 and 2024, and that his client has been in custody since February 16.

Meanwhile, the court was informed that Dunn’s case is expected to be combined with that of Kingston resident Daniel Allwood, who has been charged in relation to the Johnson brothers’ deaths and is scheduled to appear before the court on April 19.

Additionally, it was revealed that the warrant issued for Dunn’s arrest had not been submitted for the prosecution’s case file.

Judge Smith-Ashley then granted Dunn bail and ordered him to find up to two people to serve as sureties. The bail was also subject to conditions, including Dunn’s requirement to report to the police three times each week and hand over his travel documents. Additionally, a stop order was issued to prevent him from leaving the country.

He was remanded until April 19, when it is anticipated that his case will be merged with Allwood’s.

According to the allegations, on July 16, 2017, a dispute arose among residents in the tenement yard where the Johnson brothers lived.

Several people involved in the dispute reportedly issued violent threats during the altercation.

The following day, July 17, 2017, the quarrel resumed when the Johnson brothers got in an argument with another man. During that altercation, a firearm was pulled and the two brothers shot. They reportedly ran a short distance before collapsing in their yard.

The men were transported to hospital where they were pronounced dead.