KUALA LUMPUR: “I am very happy, I did not expect that I would be released today,“ said a visibly moved Siti Aisyah who was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal in the murder case of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother Kim Jong-nam or Kim Chol.
At a press conference at the Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur today, Siti Aisyah, 27, in a happy tone thanked the Malaysian and Indonesian governments. Also present was Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Rusdi Kirana.
“Thanks to the President of Indonesia Jokowi (Joko Widodo), ministers, embassy officials and the government of Malaysia for releasing me,“ she said.
Asked what was the first thing she wanted to do after her release, Siti Aisyah replied she wanted to see her family, adding that she was in good health and had been treated well in prison for over a year now.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly said Siti Aisyah is expected to return to Indonesia today.
Efforts to release Siti Aisyah was reportedly made in a series of meetings including between Jokowi and Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Bogor Palace last August.
Earlier, the Shah Alam High Court today granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to Siti Aisyah who had been charged with the murder of Kim Chol.
Justice Datuk Azmi Ariffin made the decision after the prosecution, led by deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, withdrew the charge against Siti Aisyah, 26, an Indonesian national, in accordance with Section 254(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
On Aug 16, 2018, the court ordered Siti Aisyah and a Vietnamese female national, Doan Thi Huong, 29, to enter their defence on the charge of murdering Jong-nam, 45.
They were charged with four others still at large with the murder of Jong-nam at the departure hall of the KL International Airport 2 (klia2) at 9am on Feb 13, 2017, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
Siti Aisyah and Doan were accused of causing Jong-nam’s death by smearing VX nerve agent on his face. The two women had always denied the murder, saying they believed they were taking part in a prank for a reality television show. — Bernama
