• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Malaysian

Last Suspect Freed in Kim Jong-un's Brother's Murder Case

  • Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong arrives at Noi Mai International Airport.

    Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong arrives at Noi Mai International Airport. | Photo: EFE

Published 4 May 2019
Opinion

There are no other suspects held in custody now that Huong has been released, and it is expected that the case will not reach a conviction. 

Doan Thi Huong, the Vietnamese woman accused of assassinating North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's brother, Kim Jong Nam, has been released from a Malaysian prison after being held for over two years.

RELATED: 
 Woman Accused of Killing Kim Jong-un's Brother Denied Appeal

Huong was accused of murdering Kim Jong Nam using the highly toxic VH nerve agent. After being released, Huong was taken into immigration custody until her scheduled flight to Hanoi. The formerly jailed woman stated that she wishes to pursue a career in acting and singing once she returns home.

There are no other suspects held in custody now that Huong has been released, and it is expected that the case will not reach a conviction, considering Malaysia and Vietnam are attempting to normalize tense bilateral ties.

Critics believe that the release of Huong will prevent Malaysia from raising further questions.


"Duan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese woman arrested and accused of participating in the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, half brother of Kim Jong-un, was released from prison today by decision of the Malaysian authorities. She had originally pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of "causing harm."
 

On April 1, Vietnam successfully convinced Malaysian prosecutors to drop the murder charge against Huong. Vietnam increase lobbying efforts after the Indonesian government successfully negotiated with Vietnam to release the other suspect, Siti Aisyah, involved in the case.

Aisyah was released and returned to Indonesia on March 11.

Both governments used either good or improving intergovernmental relations to convince Malaysia to release the accused women, who maintain that they were tricked by North Korean agents into thinking their act was a harmless prank for a hidden camera TV show.

The remaining suspects, four Korean nationals who boarded flights out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, were also allowed to leave Malaysia in order to maintain relations with North Korea. 

“The best the two suspects could have pleaded guilty for is involuntary manslaughter. Instead, they both walk off free,” Sung-Yoon Lee, the assistant professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, stated and added that someone should have been held culpable for the death of Kim Jong Nam. 

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.