SHAH ALAM: The absence of the four North Koreans, allegedly involved in the elaborate assassination of their fellow countryman Kim Chol, during the trail will not bring prejudice to the defence.
This was because the two women - Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong - who are the main suspects in the case - are already in custody, the ninth prosecution witness, Assistant Superintendent Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz told the High Court today.
Wan Azirul, during cross-examination by Datuk Naran Singh, said the police have classified the four North Koreans as suspects who were also believed to be involved in the case.
Q: Do you suspect them as the assassins?
A: I agree.
Naran, who represented Doan also argued that attempt to bring back the four to the country was in vain as Malaysia did not have mutual assistant agreement with North Korea.
Q: Is there any mutual assistance agreement between Malaysia and North Korea?
A: I did not investigate.
Q: Do you agree with me that you need to know this (about the agreement) as the then Inspector-General of Police (Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar) in a press conference said he could bring back the four suspects?
A: I am not sure.
Q: I put to you there is no agreement between Malaysia and North Korea.
A: I am not sure.
Q: Do you agree with me that if there is no agreement, there is no use we seek help from the Interpol to arrest the four suspects?
A: I am not sure.
Q: So how can you bring back the four North Koreans (Mr. Y, Mr. Chan, Hanamori, and James) to Malaysia?
A: I have to wait until Interpol can locate them.
Earlier on Nov 6 last year, Wan Azirul testified that the four had left Malaysia on the day of the incident. (Feb 13).
“Hong Song Hac also known as Mr Chang arrived in Malaysia on Jan 31, 2017, and flew out of the country on Feb 13, 2017.
“Ri Ji Hyon also known as Mr Y arrived in Malaysia on Feb 4, 2017, and flew out of the country on Feb 13, 2017.
“Ri Jae Nam also known as Hanamori arrived in Malaysia on Feb 1, 2017, and left the country on Feb 13, 2017.
“O Jong Gil also known as James arrived in Malaysia on Feb 7, 2017, and left the country on Feb 13, 2017,” he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor, Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad regarding the identity and movement of the suspects.
He was testifying in the trial of Siti Aisyah and Doan, who are charged with murdering Kim Chol, along with four others still at large, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) on Feb 13.
Azrul also testified that a North Korean Ri Jong-chol, one of the North Korean detained by the police at his condominium at the Dynasty Garden Condominium in Jalan Kuchai Lama in February last year was one of the suspects in the incident.
Q: Ri Jong-chol also been classified as one of the suspects?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you agree with me that he also should be charged in this court.
A: I do not agree.
Trial continues on April 2 before Judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
On March 1, Doan and Siti Aisyah were charged at the Sepang magistrate's court with murdering Kim Chol, 45, with four other men, who are still at large.
Kim Chol was later established to be Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries a mandatory death penalty.