Prosecutor Muhammad Iskandar Ahmad told Reuters the decision to withdraw the charge against her was made based on “several representations”, without elaborating.
Indonesia’s law minister, Yasonna H. Laoly, said Siti Aisyah’s release was the result of high-level diplomacy by his government, adding that she would board a flight home later today.
Maybe Attorney General/Public Prosecutor should explain why suddenly the decision to withdraw charges against Indonesian Siti Aisyah...after the court had determined that the prosecution have established a prima facie case against the 2 women charged?
Why was the charge withdrawn for Siti Aisyah alone, and not for the Vietnamese woman, Doan Thi Huong?
Personally, in my opinion, they should never have been charged with murder, and there was much flaws in even the charge - how can you charge the 2 woman for murder together with 4 un-named unidentified persons. Read earlier blog posts.
Why charge women over Jong Nam murder, while 4 at large?(FMT News)
MADPET - Name the 4 Unidentified Individuals in the Kim Jong Nam Murder Charge to ensure fair trial for Siti Aisyah and Hong Song Hac
Much happening in Malaysia? VX? or pesticide? Deportation of suspects? No more visa on arrival for ...?
They may not be guilty of murder - but would they not be charged for a lesser charge of assault and/or battery? Now, Siti Aisyah is back in Indonesia - and like Sirul, it will be difficult to get her back to be charged for any crime.
MURDER - well, they may not be guilty of that, but could they not be charged for lesser crimes like assault or battery for what they did, paid for or otherwise?
Was it because of Indonesia wanting her released? Well, we have laws, and if one breaks Malaysian laws, one would be charged, tried and sentenced in Malaysia. Or, can some 'stronger' or 'friendly' country simply request that their citizen be set free, and Malaysia complies.
Remember, that our constitution guarantees Equality and equal treatment - Article 8(1) Federal Constitution states that, 'All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law'. No special treatment of a citizen of another country.
The Public Prosecutor must really explain why suddenly the charge against Siti Aisyah was dropped, and she was released? Media reports thus far is not very clear.
Why was it done so late, after PH came into power...9 months ago? If this was done earlier, then we would have saved money and court's time?
PLEASE EXPLAIN...people deserve to know? We need to be convinced that there was no 'corruption', 'foreign pressure', etc - but was done according to the law for a GOOD reason.
MURDER - well, they may not be guilty of that, but could they not be charged for lesser crimes like assault or battery for what they did, paid for or otherwise?
Was it because of Indonesia wanting her released? Well, we have laws, and if one breaks Malaysian laws, one would be charged, tried and sentenced in Malaysia. Or, can some 'stronger' or 'friendly' country simply request that their citizen be set free, and Malaysia complies.
Remember, that our constitution guarantees Equality and equal treatment - Article 8(1) Federal Constitution states that, 'All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law'. No special treatment of a citizen of another country.
The Public Prosecutor must really explain why suddenly the charge against Siti Aisyah was dropped, and she was released? Media reports thus far is not very clear.
Why was it done so late, after PH came into power...9 months ago? If this was done earlier, then we would have saved money and court's time?
PLEASE EXPLAIN...people deserve to know? We need to be convinced that there was no 'corruption', 'foreign pressure', etc - but was done according to the law for a GOOD reason.
Prosecutors drop murder charge against Indonesian suspect in Kim Jong-nam murder
KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — An Indonesian woman accused in the 2017
killing of the North Korean leader’s half-brother was freed today, as a
Malaysian court dropped the murder charge against her in a case that
drew suspicions of being a political assassination.
As the court gave its decision, Siti Aisyah, 26, turned to her
Vietnamese co-defendant Doan Thi Huong, 30, in the dock and the two
women, who had been facing the death penalty together, embraced
tearfully.
They stood accused of poisoning Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, with liquid VX, a banned chemical
weapon, at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017.
Following the dramatic decision to release Siti Aisyah, a defence
lawyer asked for an adjournment in the case against Huong, in order to
submit a request that charges be dropped against her too.
Defence lawyers have maintained that the women were pawns in an assassination orchestrated by North Korean agents.
Interpol had issued a red notice for four North Koreans who were
identified as suspects by Malaysian police and had left the country
hours after the murder.
During the trial, the court was shown CCTV footage of two women
allegedly assaulting Kim Jong-nam while he prepared to check-in for a
flight at Kuala Lumpur’s international airport.
Siti Aisyah, who had worked as a masseuse at a hotel in the Malaysian
capital, and Huong, who described herself as an actress, had maintained
that they believed they had been hired to participate in a reality TV
prank show.
Once the court released her, Siti Aisyah wearing a black traditional
Malay dress and headscarf, was rushed to the Indonesian embassy, where
she spoke briefly with journalists.
“I feel so happy. I did not expect that today I would be released,”
Siti Aisyah said, adding that she was healthy and had been treated well
in prison.
Prosecutors told the court today that they had been instructed to
withdraw the charge against Siti Aisyah. No reason was given for the
application.
While the court discharged Siti Aisyah from the case, it rejected her
lawyer’s request for a full acquittal, as it said that the trial had
already established a prima facie case and she could be recalled if
fresh evidence emerged.
The defence had disputed whether the CCTV footage was clear enough to
identify the Indonesian woman as an assailant, or establish what she
had done to the victim.
Gooi Soon Seng, Siti Aisyah’s lawyer, expressed happiness with the outcome, but said his client was “a scapegoat”.
“I still believe that North Korea had something to do with it,” Gooi said.
Kim Jong-nam had lived in exile in Macau for several years before
the killing, having fled his homeland after his half-brother became
North Korea’s leader in 2011 following their father’s death.
Some South Korean lawmakers said the North Korean regime had ordered
the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, who had been critical of his family’s
dynastic rule. Pyongyang has denied the accusation.
Not over for Huong
Left to stand trial by herself after Siti Aisyah’s release, Huong was
still sobbing as she prepared to take the stand today at the start of
her defence.
But, the court agreed to resume proceedings on Thursday, pending a
reply from the attorney general (AG) to a request that charges against
her also be withdrawn.
“The charge against Siti Aiysah was withdrawn, but the charge against
Doan (Thi Huong) was not, and no reason was advanced,” Hisyam Teh,
Huong’s lawyer, said.
Although they had regularly been brought to the dock together, they were being tried separately in the case.
Siti Aisyah’s trial was suspended in December as her lawyers argued
with prosecutors over access to statements made by seven witnesses.
Prosecutor Muhammad Iskandar Ahmad told Reuters the decision to
withdraw the charge against her was made based on “several
representations”, without elaborating.
Indonesia’s law minister, Yasonna H. Laoly, said Siti Aisyah’s
release was the result of high-level diplomacy by his government, adding
that she would board a flight home later today.
Yasonna had earlier written to Malaysia’s AG, laying the blame on North Korea.
“Miss Aisyah was deceived and had no awareness whatsoever that she
was being used as an intelligence tool of North Korea,” Yasonna wrote. —
Reuters, Malay Mail, 11/3/2019
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