The Malaysian Insight

SITI Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, accused of the murder of North Korean Kim Jong-nam, were today ordered to enter their defence.

After reading out the findings and summary of the case, Shah Alam High Court judge Azmi Ariffin said the evidence was credible enough to pursue a prima facie case.

The women, both in their 20s, were arrested in March last year and charged in October.

They are accused of murdering Kim by smearing his face with VX – a lethal nerve agent banned by the United Nations – at the departure hall of Malaysia’s budget carrier airport klia2.

CCTV footage viewed in court throughout the earlier course of the trial, also showed both women meeting four North Korean men at klia2 on the day of the attack.

Malaysian police have named the four men as suspects in the case. To date, Siti and Doan are the only suspects in custody. The four men who fled Malaysia hours after attack remain at large, while Interpol has issued a red notice for them.

The women’s lawyers have argued that they thought they were taking part in a reality TV prank show.

Judge Azmi today called this claim into question, saying that based on CCTV footage, the incident did not fit the definition of a prank.

“(A prank) is suppose to be a funny joke to make fun of everyone even the target itself. Actors will introduce the whole plot once the prank is done, hidden cameras will be shown. But in this issue, none of above features of prank can be seen.”

The judge also said it remains to be explained why the Doan rushed to wash her hands afterward.

Both women, who will testify under oath as part of their defence, had looked shocked when the judge delivered his decision.

Their lawyers, after the court proceedings, told reporters that they were disappointed by the judge’s decision, but remained confident that they would be able to prove their clients’ innocence.

“We will prove (Aziz’s) findings to the contrary”, said Doan’s lawyer, Salim Bashar.

Lawyer Hisham Teh Poh Teik, who is also in Doan’s defence team, said the next stage of the trial would see their “version” of the case.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin described the judgement as fair.

“I’m very excited. I’m very pleased with the decision. He (Azmi) gave a good judgment… But don’t worry, there’s a second round for the accused to give their testimony,” he said outside the courtroom.

The trial has now been extended to February 2019. If found guilty, the women could face a mandatory death sentence. – August 16, 2018.