Dayat, Jakarta – After being granted parole, Jessica Kumala Wongso filed an appeal concerning the Supreme Court's decision in her premeditated murder case against Wayan Mirna Solihin at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday.
This case gained international attention when it was featured in the Netflix documentary "Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso."
Jessica maintains her innocence in the murder of Wayan Mirna Solihin, whom she allegedly poisoned with cyanide in 2016.
"Jessica is physically free now that she has been released, but she insists on using this legal opportunity to appeal and prove that she never committed the crime, even though she was convicted," said Jessica's lawyer, Otto Hasibuan.
Jessica and her legal team claim they have presented new evidence to support their case, although they declined to disclose specifics, as Jessica continues to deny the murder allegations.
"I am grateful that the new evidence has been found. I can't say much; I just pray, as no one knows what the future holds," Jessica said.
Despite having a previous judicial review denied by the Supreme Court in 2018, Jessica and her attorney remain hopeful that this new evidence will provide grounds for her exoneration.
Jessica Kumala Wongso was convicted of murdering her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin by poisoning her coffee and was released on parole in August after serving nearly eight years in detention.
Initially sentenced to 20 years in prison, all of Jessica's appeals were rejected by the courts. According to the Justice Ministry, she received sentence reductions totaling 59 months for good conduct.
Jessica was found guilty of premeditated murder for poisoning an iced coffee served to Mirna at a cafe in Jakarta on January 6, 2016. She was named a suspect approximately three weeks after Mirna's death and was arrested on January 30 of that year.
Her parole will remain in effect until March 27, 2032, during which she must regularly report to correctional authorities.