Kim Jong-nam Murder : Indonesian Woman Says She Was Paid $120 for Assassination

Gaining access, the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur checks fingerprint of Siti Aisyah.

Kuala Lumpur, 29 Jumadil Awwal 1438/26 February 2017 (MINA) – An Indonesian woman detained in Malaysia in connection with the assassination of Kim Jong-nam said she was paid about 400 ringgit or $120 to take part in what she thought was a prank television show.

Indonesia has been allowed its first consular meeting with Siti Aisyah, who along with a Vietnamese woman is accused of wiping a lethal nerve agent on the North Korean leader’s half brother’s face, causing his death at a Kuala Lumpur International airport.

Indonesia’s deputy ambassador to Malaysia Andreano Erwin was quoted by abc.net.au as saying that during the consular access the woman said she had believed the substance on her hands was an oil and she was asked to take part by two men.

“She only said in general that she didn’t know, that somebody asked her to do this activity, she didn’t know anything that will happen in the future,” Ambassador Erwin said after the consular visit.

“She mentioned the name of the person, but I didn’t recognise it because she talked about the men in a general way, his name is James and Chang that’s it, I think she doesn’t know the name of those two people.”

Did not know about the poison

Ambassador Erwin said the Indonesian woman, whose passport indicates she is 25 years old, did not know about the poison.

“She only told us that it was a kind of oil, like baby oil,” he said.

He said the short meeting revolved largely around questions about the woman’s health, and it remained unclear what charges she might face.

“Thank God she is in good condition, physically, we saw her healthy, but emotionally and psychologically, we don’t know, because it would require a more detail check,” he said.

“We are going to wait for the process done by the Malaysian police, in developing the case, March 1 is the deadline, when the police free or charge her if the evidence says the otherwise. We are waiting for the legal process.”

Indonesia said it confirmed the woman’s identity via her fingerprints.

Vietnam said Doan Thi Huong, the other woman arrested over the incident, also thought she was taking part in a prank.

Vietnam’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website that a representative from the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia met with Ms Huong on Saturday, and confirmed that she is a Vietnamese citizen and in stable health. (T/RS05/RS01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)