Jessica Wongso

Jessica Wongso is an Indonesian citizen and former Australian permanent resident who was convicted in 2016 of the premeditated murder of her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin in a cyanide coffee poisoning case in Jakarta.

Jessica Wongso is an Indonesian citizen and former Australian permanent resident. She was convicted in 2016 of the premeditated murder of her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin in a cyanide coffee poisoning case in Jakarta. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and later released on parole in August 2024.

Background

Jessica Wongso is identified in reporting as an Indonesian citizen and former Australian permanent resident. She lived in Australia for part of her life and was associated with Wayan Mirna Salihin through that period.

2016 murder case

In January 2016, Mirna Salihin died after drinking coffee at a café in Jakarta. Prosecutors alleged that Wongso had placed cyanide in the drink, and the case became one of Indonesia's most widely followed criminal trials.

Trial and sentence

In October 2016, an Indonesian court found Wongso guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced her to 20 years in prison. Coverage at the time noted that she denied the verdict.

Later developments

Wongso was released on parole in August 2024 after serving about eight years. The case remained the subject of renewed public debate, including through documentary coverage.