Siti Aisyah arrives safely in Indonesia

After being detained in Malaysia for more than two years on suspicion of killing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam, Siti Aisyah finally returned home to Indonesia this evening.

Discharged without being acquitted in the murder case by the Shah Alam High Court this morning, Siti Aisyah, 27, arrived at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in Jakarta, at 5pm on a special aircraft, managed by the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Hundreds of local media personnel had been awaiting her arrival from 3pm, the decision by Justice Azmi Ariffin on the case was being widely broadcast.

She was arrested by Malaysian authorities in connection with the murder of Kim Chol, 45, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 departure hall on Feb 13, 2017.

Siti Aisyah, from Serang, Banten, looked cheerful and thanked all parties involved in her release.

Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, who was with Siti Aisyah at a press conference in Jakarta, said the Indonesian government thanked all parties in Malaysia, involved in the court proceedings.

“For two years and 23 days, Siti Aisyah was jailed in Malaysia (for the trial), the process was long, and she turned out to be innocent, having fallen victim to a conspiracy believing she was taking part in a prank for a reality television show, not knowing she was being used,” he said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi in a statement said Siti Aisyah's release was a "sweet" decision and good news for Indonesia after the woman’s long ordeal.

The Shah Alam High Court today morning granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to Siti Aisyah who had been charged with the murder of Kim Chol.

The judge made the decision after the prosecution, led by DPP Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, withdrew the charge against Siti Aisyah, in accordance with Section 254(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

- Bernama