The Suwon High Court (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — A woman, who previously drew a 30-year sentence on suspicion of killing her husband by feeding him food and drink mixed with a nicotine solution, was acquitted of murder charges in a retrial by a court on Friday.
The Suwon High Court delivered the not-guilty verdict to the 38-year-old woman, whose identity was withheld, in her retrial, reversing its earlier sentence of 30 years in prison in the same case. The retrial came after the Supreme Court ordered a review of her case last July, citing a lack of evidence.
The woman was arrested and indicted in 2021 on suspicion of poisoning her 46-year-old husband to death by feeding him cold water, porridge and a multi-grain powder drink that contained a lethal dose of nicotine solution.
She claimed innocence, arguing he appeared to have committed suicide. But prosecutors seized liquid nicotine and electronic cigarette devices from her, while autopsy results showed the husband died of nicotine poisoning though he reportedly quit smoking for eight years before his death.
A district court recognized all of her charges and sentenced her to 30 years in prison. The appellate court also maintained the 30-year sentence but recognized only the charge of nicotine poisoning through cold water.
But the Supreme Court overturned the 30-year prison term for lack of evidence and sent the case back to the Suwon High Court in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul. The top court said it is difficult to uphold the lower courts’ sentence, because her charges have not been fully proven.
The appellate court acquitted her Friday in accordance with the top court’s verdict.
(Yonhap)
