Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 March 2019

Indonesian woman freed 2 years after killing of Kim Jong Nam

By EILEEN NG after Aisyah left. government officials and
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AP) The two women had been a mob of reporters at Ja-
— One of two women ac- the only suspects in custo- karta's arport, struggled for
cused of killing North Ko- dy after four North Korean words as journalists shouted
rean leader Kim Jong Un's suspects fled the country questions. After a prompt
half brother by smearing the morning of Feb. 13, from Indonesia's law and
VX nerve agent on his face 2017, when Kim Jong Nam human rights minister, she
was freed after two years was killed. thanked the president and
of detention Monday when The trial is to resume Thurs- Cabinet ministers.
Malaysian prosecutors un- day, and prosecutors are Indonesia's government
expectedly dropped the expected to reply to a re- said its continued high-lev-
murder charge against her. quest by Huong's lawyers el lobbying had resulted in
Indonesian Siti Aisyah and for the government to with- Aisyah's release. Its foreign
her Vietnamese co-de- draw the murder charge ministry said in a statement
fendant, Doan Thi Huong, against her as well. that she was "deceived
have said they thought The High Court judge dis- and did not realize at all
they were taking part in a charged Aisyah without that she was being ma-
prank for a TV show. Indonesian Siti Aisyah, left, smiles with lawyer Gooi Soon Seng an acquittal on Monday nipulated by North Korean
after a press conference at Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lum-
Prosecutors did not give pur, Malaysia, Monday, March 11, 2019. after prosecutors applied intelligence."
any reason for the remark- Associated Press to drop the murder charge It said Aisyah, a migrant
able retreat in their case against her. worker, never had any in-
against Aisyah in the killing ald Trump. president and other offi- Prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad tention of killing Kim.
of Kim Jong Nam at a busy Aisyah cried and hugged cials for their help. said that means Aisyah can The ministry said that over
Kuala Lumpur airport termi- Huong before leaving the "I feel happy, very happy be charged again if there the past two years, Aisyah's
nal. courtroom and being ush- that I cannot express in is fresh evidence, but there plight was raised in "every
Indonesia's government ered away in an Indone- words," she told reporters at are no such plans now. bilateral Indonesia-Malay-
had lobbied repeatedly for sian Embassy car. She told Jakarta's airport. "After this I Aisyah's release comes just sia meeting," including at
her release. Vietnam has reporters that she had only just want to gather with my a month before Indone- the presidential level, the
pushed less hard on be- learned Monday morning family." sia's general election and vice presidential level and
half of Huong, and recently that she would be freed. Huong, who remains on tri- is seen as a boost to Presi- in regular meetings of the
hosted leader Kim Jong Un She flew back to Jakarta, al, was distraught. dent Joko Widodo, who is foreign minister and other
for an official visit and a Indonesia's capital, later "I am in shock. My mind is seeking re-election. ministers with their Malay-
summit with President Don- Monday and thanked the blank," she told reporters Aisyah, surrounded by sian counterparts.q

Mother detained after neglected child found in Moscow

Associated Press had been cut off due to happened to the child if no
MOSCOW (AP) — A 5-year- unpaid debts. one had reacted and if the
old girl who was left alone Emergency workers on mother did not show up,"
in a Moscow apartment Sunday removed the child Anna Kuznetsova said in
cluttered with junk for sev- from the apartment, which comments to Russian news
eral days is being treated in was cluttered with what agencies.
intensive care, Russian offi- appeared to be trash bags The mother said in question-
cials said on Monday. and plastic bottles, ac- ing that she had to leave
The Investigative Commit- cording to the investiga- the child alone for "short
tee, Russia's main investi- tors' footage. The furniture periods" to go to work, the
gative body, has detained in the apartment looked Investigative Committee
the girl's mother and has smashed and the walls and said.
launched a criminal inquiry the ceiling splattered with Neighbors had reportedly
into conspiracy to murder. dirt or paint. complained about the
They gave no information The ombudswoman for child crying and the stench
about the girl's condition. children's rights in Russia coming from the apart- This photo taken from video made available by The Investiga-
Investigators, who are also said the girl, identified as ment. tive Committee of the Russian Federation on Sunday, March 10,
2019 shows a Moscow apartment where a neglected five-year-
probing the actions of po- Lyuba, does not appear to But police officers had ini- old girl was living.
lice and social workers, said be able to speak. tially refused to force their Associated Press
the 47-year-old woman left "Water and electricity had way in. Another police
her daughter for several been cut off in the apart- squad called emergency Neighbors interviewed by to herself and that her be-
days and that water and ment, and it's horrifying to services a few days later to Russian state television havior did not arouse any
electricity in the apartment imagine what would have get the door down. said the girl's mother kept suspicion.q