SHAH ALAM: Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong were ordered to enter their defence yesterday for allegedly murdering Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, last year.
Judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin had spent more than two hours reading his judgment in a courtroom packed with delegates from the Indonesian and Vietnamese embassies, policemen, lawyers, and members of the media.
Siti Aisyah and Doan, who were brought into the dock about 10am, were calm and smiled at their respective team of lawyers when the police remove their handcuffs.
Azman, in his judgment, said the court did not rule out the possibility that the murder was politically-motivated, however, no clear evidence was provided by the prosecution on the real motive for the murder.
Azmi also said: “Evidence (from) closed circuit television (footage) show that (the assassination) was systematic.”
He said he was not persuaded by the defence’s argument that the incident could have been a prank for a reality show.
“My comprehensive study on pranks shows that it involves practical jokes or mischief that does not cause any harm to the target or victim.
“However, none of the features of a prank can be seen in the CCTV footage tendered to the court,” he said, adding that the involvement of four North Koreans who were still at large — Hong Song Hac also known as Mr Chang; Ri Ji Hyon also known as Mr Y; Ri Jae Nam also known as Hanamori; and O Jong Gil also known as James — was minimal.
“I also accept that the accused shared a common intention, with four individuals still at large, to cause the death of Jong Nam.”
Azmi said the behaviours of both accused after the incident had proven that they knew the substance on their hand was VX nerve agent.
“Both of them rushed into different toilets after smearing the substance on Kim Chol’s face and only returned to normal (calmed down) after their visit to the toilets.
“This had showed that both of them knew the substance on their hands was poisonous and could cause death,” he said.
(Kim Chol is the name under which Jong-nam had been traveling. He was about to check in at klia2 for a flight to Macau on Feb 13 last year when he was attacked and killed.)
Azmi also ruled out that the investigation carried out by the investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz was biased against and unfair towards the accused.
Siti Aisyah and Doan, who were seen wiping tears from their eyes after the judgment was delivered, decided to testify under oath in a witness stand.
Doan’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, when met after proceedings, said more than 10 witnesses would be called, including foreigners.
The court then fixed between November and February next year for the defence trial.
In the course of the high-profile hearing, 236 pieces of evidence were presented in court, including the clothing worn by both accused and victim, as well as CCTV recordings of the killing.
The two women were first charged at the Sepang magistrate’s court on March 1 last year before the case was transferred to the Shah Alam High Court for trial.
They were tried on a charge of murdering Jong-nam, an offence which carries the death penalty under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Jong-nam, who was the eldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, lived in exile in China and Southeast Asia following a fallout with several members of his family.
Found with a passport with the name Kim Chol, he died while being transported to Putrajaya Hospital.