The Vietnamese woman accused of murdering the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-nam has pleaded guilty to "causing hurt" after prosecutors agreed to drop the murder charge she was originally facing.
A Malaysian judge sentenced Doan Thi Huong to three years and four months in prison for lesser charge in Kim Jong Nam's death.
Doan, 30, was accused of killing Kim Jong-nam by smearing VX nerve agent on his face at a Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017, in a brazenly-executed attack that shocked the world.
Doan, who sat in the dock dressed in a traditional maroon Malay dress and a cream cardigan and headscarf, pleaded guilty on Monday to "voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means".
Kim Jong Nam, left, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Source: AAP
The reduced charge is punishable by a maximum of ten years' imprisonment, but carries no mandatory minimum term. Doan would potentially have faced the death penalty under the original charge of murder.
Doan's defence team appealed to the court to "shower (Doan) with mercy and compassion," arguing that Doan had "endured emotional punishment" during the lengthy trial and that "the real perpetrators ... should be brought to justice".
Doan Thi Huong leaves court on August 16. Source: AAP
Doan has consistently maintained her innocence. Her co-accused, Siti Aisyah of Indonesia, was unexpectedly cleared of all charges and released last month.
The pair have said they believed they were taking part in a prank for a reality-TV show and were tricked by North Korean handlers.
However, prosecutors have argued that the court should take into account the "seriousness of the crime" and "the public interest" in deciding the length of Doan's sentence.
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