Murder trial: Did this young woman murder her Sydney college classmate?

A HIGH profile murder trial involving two Aussie residents — one accused of killing the other — has taken another twist.

Indonesian prosecutors recommended a 20-year jail term on Wednesday for Jessica Kumala Wongso, a permanent Australian resident, charged with murdering a former classmate at an Australian college. Picture: Tatan Syuflana/AP

A SYDNEY woman at the centre of a high profile murder trial in Indonesia has denied she killed her friend with poison over a dispute about an Australian man.

Jessica Kumala Wongso, an Australian permanent resident, is accused of murdering her former Sydney design school classmate and friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, who collapsed and died after drinking the coffee at an up-market Jakarta cafe in January.

Prosecutors have alleged the 27-year-old design graduate decided to kill the victim after Mirna, also 27, advised her to break up with her Australian boyfriend Patrick O’Connor because he was allegedly using drugs. Wongso denies the allegations.

“I only told her I was close with someone,” Wongso told the court.

“I didn’t tell her who he was or his name.”

Mirna’s husband Arif Sunarko said she had fought with Wongso about Mr O’Connor in October 2014. He said Mirna had told Wongso that Mr O’Connor was not good for her. Wongso allegedly stormed off, leaving Mirna “afraid of her”.

Wayan Mirna Salihin died from suspected cyanide poisoning. Her friend, known as Jessica Kumala, has been arrested in relation to Mirna's death.

Prosecutors Melanie Wuwung said Wongso had carried out her alleged plan to kill “meticulously”.

She said “the defendant’s act was especially cruel as it was committed against her best friend” before urging judges “to sentence the defendant to 20 years in prison”.

“The cyanide used to end the victim’s life did not kill her directly, but instead tortured her until death,” Ms Wuwung said.

Wongso sat alone in the middle of the crowded courtroom as the allegations were read out.

The “poison coffee” case has generated huge interest across Indonesia, with some networks broadcasting the trial proceedings live from inside the courtroom.

Hundreds of journalists and spectators packed the Jakarta courthouse for the marathon sentence recommendation, which took prosecutors nearly nine hours to read aloud.

She invited Mirna to a cafe at a swish mall, where she slipped cyanide into her Vietnamese iced coffee, the court heard.

The Olivier Restaurant, Indonesia, where Jessica Kumala Wongso is accused of murdering her friend Wayan Salihin Mirna. Source: TripAdvisor

Mirna collapsed and began convulsing after drinking the coffee, dying soon afterwards in hospital.

Police say that Wongso placed bags on the table to prevent CCTV cameras in the cafe from filming her slipping the poison into the coffee.

Wongso told the court she could not remember key details about the day, such as where she put her bags, saying everything moved fast once her friend sipped the coffee and remarked about the odd taste.

An autopsy was not carried out on Mirna because her family objected on religious grounds.

The defence team asserts the case against their client is weak and lacks evidence to prove guilt.

Since the trial began in June, three forensic experts called by the defence have testified there was no proof Mirna’s death was caused by cyanide poisoning.

Australian toxicology expert Dr Michael Robertson said there was “no evidence of cyanide ingestion”. Australian toxicologist Professor Beng Beng Ong said the level of cyanide found in Mirna’s stomach was not consistent with fatal poisoning and an autopsy was needed.

His evidence should be dismissed, prosecutors said, as he was later detained at the airport and deported for testifying in court on a tourist visa.

During the marathon hearing, prosecutors did not give a definitive answer as to where Wongso obtained the cyanide that allegedly killed her friend, arguing instead that it was “easily available on the black market”.

Wongso’s legal team are expected to respond next week.

News.com.au exclusively revealed that Wongso, her parents and two siblings have been permanent residents of Australia, living in Sydney, since emigrating from Indonesia about eight years ago. Wongso was hired by NSW Ambulance in 2015 as a graphic designer, as also exclusively revealed by news.com.au.

While the charge of premeditated murder in Indonesia carries the maximum penalty of death, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) only agreed to assist the investigation on the proviso such a sentence would not be sought or imposed.

NSW police officer John Torres last week read out to the court 13 police reports from 2014 to 2015 involving Wongso while she lived in Australia.

Mr Torres said Wongso’s Australian-based ex-boyfriend Patrick O’Connor was given an “urgent” restraining order against her one month before the alleged murder.

He also told the court of police reports detailing suicide attempts by Wongso and an alcohol-fuelled road accident.

A statement from director of marketing and media at NSW Ambulance Kristie Carter to Indonesia police was read out by prosecutors in the Jakarta District Court last week.

In the statement Ms Carter — who wasn’t in court — described the Australian resident Wongso as a woman with “two personalities”.

“At one time, I saw Jessica as someone kind, who loves to smile and suddenly she could be someone quick to anger when someone didn’t follow what she wanted,” Ms Carter told police, the court heard.

She said Wongso told her in October, 2015 “If I want to kill someone, I know how.”

A verdict will be handed down at a later date.

Originally published as Murder trial: Did this young woman murder her Sydney college classmate?