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Court postpones Wilfrida's verdict as lawyer submits new evidence
A Malaysian court has adjourned until Nov
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A Malaysian court has adjourned until Nov.17 when it will deliver its interlocutory verdict on the case of Wilfrida Soik, a 20-year-old Indonesian migrant worker from Belu, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), who could face the death penalty if found guilty of killing her Malaysian employer.
Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a House of Representatives member who accompanied Wilfrida's family to the hearing, said the adjournment gave an opportunity for both her legal team and the Indonesian government to do more to provide legal assistance to Wilfrida.
'We hope that all parties involved in working for Wilfrida's welfare will focus their efforts on saving her [from the death penalty],' said Rieke in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.
She added that Wilfrida's case should become a starting point for a more concerted effort to resolve human-trafficking cases involving Indonesia and Malaysia.
Eighty of a total of 105 human-trafficking victims rescued in Klang, Malaysia, last year, hailed from NTT.
During the hearing in Kota Bharu Court in Kelantan, the judge who presided over Wilfrida's trial adjourned its interlocutory verdict and allowed Wilfrida's lawyer to submit new evidence.
One of several new pieces of evidence to be submitted is the result of a bone examination to provide certainty on Wilfrida's age because it is believed that she was only 17 years old when she started working in Malaysia.
Wilfrida, who attended the trial with her hands chained, was accompanied by Sarah Lerry Mboik, a member of the NTT Regional Representative Council. Sarah said around 11,000 people from 66 countries had voiced their support for her by signing a petition at www.change.org/savewilfrida.
'Once again, there is an opportunity to build a better foundation for Indonesia-Malaysia which is based on justice and humanity,' said Change.org Indonesia founder Usman Hamid. (ebf)
