The Malaysian Insight

THE High Court is set to decide on August 16 whether Doan Thi-Huong and Siti Aisyah will be acquitted or if they will be called to enter their defence, in a high profile case for the murder of the North Korean leader’s estranged brother Kim Jong Nam.

Doan, a 29 year-old Vietnamese and Siti, a 25-year old Indonesian, have been accused of smearing VX nerve agent - a banned chemical weapon - on Kim Jong Nam’s face in Malaysia’s crowded budget carrier airport KLIA2 on Feb 13, 2017. The women claim they thought they were taking part in a hidden-camera reality prank show.

Kim was attacked on February 13 last year, while waiting for his flight to Macau where he lived.

Doan and Siti are the only two suspects in custody, and could face the death penalty if found guilty. If their defence is called, the trial will likely take several more months.

If the women are acquitted, they may not be able to walk free right away as prosecutors might still appeal the decision and also push forward on separate charges for overstaying their visas.

The other suspects - four North Korean men - have fled the country and are believed to be hiding in Pyongyang. Interpol has issued a red alert for them, at the request of Malaysia’s police. - August 15, 2016.