Two women plead not guilty to killing North Korean leader's half-brother

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, a Vietnamese, are charged with killing Kim Jong-nam by smearing his face with VX, a chemical poison banned by the UN

epa06239507 Hisyam Teh Toh Teik (C-L) and Naran Singh (C-R), lawyers of Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam, speak to journalists ahead of the trial of the suspects in the assasination of North Korean leader's Kim Jong-un's half-brother, in Shah Alam, Malaysia, 02 October 2017. According to media reports, the two women, Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia, pleaded not guilty in the murder of Kim Jong-nam during their trial on 02 October 2017, at a court in Shah Alam, outside of Kuala Lumpur. Kim Jong-nam, a half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was killed at a Kuala Lumpur airport on 13 February 2017, after two women reportedly sprayed him with a highly toxic chemical weapon known as the VX nerve agent. The suspects have been charged with murder under Section 302 of the penal code, which carries mandatory death sentence if found guilty. EPA/FAZRY ISMAIL

Hisyam Teh Toh Teik (C-L) and Naran Singh (C-R), lawyers of Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam, speak to journalists ahead of the trial of the suspects in the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother in Shah Alam, Malaysia on October 2, 2017. Fazry Ismail / EPA

Reuters

Oct 02, 2017

Two women accused of assassinating the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with a banned nerve agent pleaded not guilty at the start of a high-profile murder trial in a Malaysian court on Monday.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, a Vietnamese, are charged with killing Kim Jong-nam by smearing his face with VX, a chemical poison banned by the United Nations, at Kuala Lumpur's international airport on February 13.

Both women wore bulletproof vests as they were led into the court on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital. They face the death penalty if convicted.

The two women nodded their heads when the charge was read out to them at the Shah Alam court on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital.

Siti was dressed in a black floral suit, while Huong wore a white long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans.

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Suspects of Kim assassination should not go through 'trial by ambush'

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The prosecution said in its charge sheet their actions showed "intent to kill the victim" by smearing his face and eyes with VX nerve agent, which a post-mortem confirmed had killed Kim.

Defence lawyers demanded that the prosecution immediately name four other suspects who have also been charged in the case but who are still at large. The prosecution said their identities would be revealed during the trial.

The women had told their lawyers they did not know they were participating in a deadly attack and believed they were carrying out a prank for a reality TV show.

They had carried out several practice runs at shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the attack on Kim Jong-nam, the prosecution said.

"The prank practice carried out by the first and second accused with the supervision of the four who are still at large was preparation to see through their common intention to kill the victim," the prosecution said in its charge sheet.

South Korean and US officials have said that Kim Jong-un's regime was behind the murder. North Korea denies the allegation.

The trial is expected to run until November 30 and the prosecution is expected to call up to 40 witnesses.

The prosecution also said in its opening statement that expert testimony would be presented to prove that VX was the cause of death.