Already charged with the murder of Venezuelan Juan Carlos Cuanaro, Sheon Veira, a mechanic of Ratho Mill, has now been jointly charged with Otricia Smart for unlawfully and maliciously wounding, Venezuelan, 35-year-old Douglas Effencuanuno Chinios on June 22, 2010, at his Ratho Mill apartment.{{more}}

Veira and Smart appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 28, to answer the charge. However, they were not allowed to plea and the matter was transferred to the Serious Offences Court.

On January 3, 2011, the crown, led by Station Sergeant Colin John, withdrew the murder charge against Veira, and two days later, further instructions were given to charge key prosecution witness Otricia Smart with murder, after she allegedly refused to give testimony in the matter.

After he was discharged, two days later, Veira was again picked up by police and charged with the murder of the same man.

Cuanaro was shot and killed at his Ratho Mill apartment during an alleged robbery. He sustained gunshot wounds to his right side and chest.

Chinios, who was also in the apartment at the time of the murder, sustained gunshot wounds to the fingers on both hands.(KW)