Hitman admits to buying many guns from Haiti

The self-confessed contract killer in the murder of Portland businesswoman Tonia McDonald yesterday disclosed that he had purchased a “whole heap” of firearms from Haiti.

The 48-year-old fisherman, Denvalyn ‘Bubbla’ Minott, made the revelation after he was questioned by attorney-at-law Vincent Wellesley about a gun which he testified he had in his possession during one of three trips to the businesswoman’s home in an attempt to have her killed.

The married family man previously testified that her husband, Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ McDonald, offered him $3 million to murder 32-year-old Tonia.

The Crown’s star witness, who in September 2020 had pleaded guilty to his role in Tonia’s July 2020 murder, was given a 19-year sentence with an order that he served 10 years before being eligible for parole.

He had earlier testified in the current trial that he was unable to murder the woman with whom he had a secret love affair and instead subcontracted Oscar Barnes, a 33-year-old St Mary tiler.

McDonald, who appeared very subdued and held his head down for most of Tuesday’s proceedings in the Home Circuit Court, is being tried for murder along with Barnes.

During cross-examination yesterday, Wellesley pressed Minott about the gun he had testified that he had in his possession, asking whether he had purchased the weapon or if it was a gift.

UNCOOPERATIVE

But Minott, who was very uncooperative, told the lawyer repeatedly that that was his personal business.

However, following the judge’s intervention, he reluctantly said that he had purchased it in Haiti.

Asked when he made the purchase, Minott said, “long time”, while claiming he could not remember the exact time or for how long he had the gun.

However, when asked how many guns he bought, he quickly replied, “whole heap”, prompting Wellesley to point out that the national security minister ought to be aware of this.

Minott earlier testified that he and Barnes went to the couples’ home three times to kill Tonia, but they were forced to abandon the plan.

He disagreed that he did not put that detail in any of his statements.

According to him, he told the police that he and a man went to the couple’s home as he did not know Barnes’ name at the time.

Wellesley also grilled Minott about the lack of physical description he had given to the police about the man whom he had described as Barnes.

Minott, who submitted five statements, admitted that the only description that was in any of his statements in relation to Barnes was that he had on “pretty, pretty” pants and shirt and white slippers, the clothes he was reported wore on one of their encounters. He also described Barnes as having cornrows in his hair.

DESCRIPTION OF BARNES

“In all of your statements, at no time did you give a description of Mr Barnes,” Wellesley said.

Minott, however, indicated that he had given the police a description, but that it was not captured in the statement.

Wellesley then sought permission from the judge to have Barnes stand directly in front of the witness box and for Minott to look at him for 30 seconds.

The defendant, on his lawyer’s instruction, then showed Minott a large tattoo on his lower left hand, but Minott, when questioned about it, said he had not noticed it before.

Labelling him a liar, Wellesley told him he did not see the tattoo because Barnes was not the person who had hired to kill Tonia.

“You cyah tell mi who mi meet,” Minott fired back.

After Barnes returned to the dock, Minott was asked whether he noticed that Barnes had scars on his face, but the witness insisted that he never noticed as he was not looking for any scars.

Minott was also quizzed about whether he had signed the plea deal before or after he pointed out Barnes, after first insisting that he could not remember, then testified that he did it before signing the deal.

Minott will continue on the stand today, when the trial resumes.

Attorney-at-law Ernest Davies also represents Barnes.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com