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Asia

The Latest: Indonesia: Lobbying led to Siti Aisyah's release

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2017, file photo, Indonesian Siti Aisyah waits at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia. The Indonesian woman held two years on suspicion of killing the North Korean leader's half brother was freed from custody Monday, March 11, 2019 after prosecutors unexpectedly dropped the murder charge against her. (AP Photo/Sadiq Asyraf, File)

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    Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, foreground, is escorted by police as she arrives at Shah Alam High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia, Monday, March 11, 2019. The trial of two Southeast Asian women charged with murdering Kim Jong Nam, North Korean leader's half brother, resumed Monday after months of delay, with the Vietnamese suspect taking the stand to begin her defense. (AP Photo/Yam G-Jun)

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia – The Latest on the dropping of murder charge against the Indonesian suspect in the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half brother (all times local):

12:45 p.m.

Indonesia's government says its continual high-level lobbying resulted in the release of the Indonesian woman who was charged with the murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half brother in Malaysia.

The foreign ministry said in a statement Monday that Siti Aisyah was "deceived and did not realize at all that she was being manipulated by North Korean intelligence."

It said Aisyah, a migrant worker, believed that she was part of a reality TV show and never had any intention of killing Kim Jong Nam.

The ministry said Malaysia's attorney general used his authority under Malaysia's criminal procedure code to not continue the prosecution.

It said Aisyah's plight was raised in "every bilateral Indonesia-Malaysia meeting, both at the President's level, the Vice-President and regular meetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other Ministers with their Malaysian partners."

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10:20 a.m.

Malaysian prosecutors have withdrawn the murder charge against the Indonesian suspect in the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother.

Prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad didn't give a reason for dropping the charge against Siti Aisyah. It was not yet clear in Monday's court proceedings if she would be charged with a lower count.

Aisyah's lawyer Gooi Soon Seng said she should be acquitted as the prosecution case against her has closed.

A High Court judge last August had found there was enough evidence to infer that Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong, along with four missing North Korean suspects, had engaged in a "well-planned conspiracy" to kill Kim Jong Nam.

Aisyah's defense had been put on hold while a court heard arguments over obtaining a witness statement.