SINGAPORE — A Vietnamese woman who is the sole remaining suspect in custody over the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of the North Korean leader, was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to a lesser weapons charge and is likely to be released next month, her lawyer said.
Doan Thi Huong, 30, is one of the two foreign women who were accused of the murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s elder brother. The two were allegedly responsible for delivering the potent VX nerve agent that killed the North Korean in an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February 2017.
They both say that they were tricked into participating by men who were likely North Korean agents, and had been told they were taking part in a prank for a reality television show.
On Monday, Huong, who was initially charged with murder, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of causing hurt by a dangerous weapon. She was sentenced to 40 months in prison from the date of her arrest, but has already served over half that term, and will be released in early May with good behavior. Her passport has been released to the Vietnamese embassy where it will be held until her release.
The second woman, 27-year-old Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, was freed in March and allowed to return back to her home country after a period of high-level negotiations and lobbying on behalf of the Indonesian government.
The judge presiding over the case, Azmi Ariffin, said the brief period of imprisonment and the lesser charge would “serve the interest of justice.” He urged Huong to consider herself lucky for escaping a murder charge, which carries a mandatory death sentence in Malaysia.
“I must say that you are a very lucky person today,” said the judge, speaking to Huong in court. The defendant appeared to nod as the charges were read to her, and thanked the judge through her translator.
The Vietnamese ambassador to Malaysia, Le Quy Qunyh, said he was “highly appreciative” that Huong would be released soon.
