Kim Jong-nam murder suspect freed

International Desk: The Indonesian woman accused of killing Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korea's Kim Jong-un, has been freed after charges against her were dropped.

Siti Aisyah had been accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Mr Kim's face in Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017.

She and her co-accused, Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, deny murder and say they thought they were part of a TV prank.

The brazen killing at an international airport left observers stunned and gripped international headlines.

The prosecutor in the case requested the murder charge be dropped, without giving a reason. The judge approved the request, saying "Siti Aisyah is freed", according to AFP news agency. However, this does not amount to an acquittal.

Ms Aisyah could have faced the death penalty if convicted.

"I feel happy. I did not know this will happen. I did not expect it," AFP cites Ms Aisyah saying as she left the court.

BBC correspondent Jonathan Head, who is at the court in Kuala Lumpur, says there appears to have been less evidence against her than against her Vietnamese co-defendant.

Ms Huong had initially been expected to read a statement in court on Monday, which would have been the first time either of the two gave testimony. However, her case has now been adjourned at the request of her lawyers.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/March 11, 2019/Nasim