Vietnamese woman did not know oily liquid was poison

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday was told that the Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong, who is accused of murdering Kim Chol or Kim Jong-nam, the estranged halfbrother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, did not know that the oily liquid she rubbed on the victim’s face was poison.

“Both of Doan’s hands were coated with the oily liquid applied by a man named Ri Ji Hyon, nicknamed Mr Y, for the purpose of pulling a prank and she was ordered to focus only on a stocky build man said to be an ‘actor’ hired by Mr Y’s company.”

Doan’s counsel, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said this when reading out her cautioned statement at the 34th day of the trial of Doan, 29, and Siti Aisyah, 26, an Indonesian, who were charged with four others still at large, with murdering Kim Chol, 45, at the departure hall of the KL International Airport 2 (Klia2) at 9am on Feb 13, 2017.

In the statement, Doan also said: “After smearing the liquid on the actor’s face, I rushed to the toilet on the second floor to wash my hands because they were sticky and smelly. In previous pranks, I only used lotions.”

The cautioned statement also stated that the woman did not know that the liquid was poison because she did not experience any allergic reaction, burning sensation, or dizziness after pulling the prank on the victim.

Doan also said that she returned to the KLIA2 departure hall two days later to perform another prank as directed by Mr Y before being arrested by the authorities.

“I arrived at the KLIA2 departure hall at 8 am and called Mr Y several times, but his phone was turned off. I went there to make another prank video because I was not paid for the prank I did on Feb 13, 2017. I only learnt about the actor’s death on Feb 16. Mr Y is a liar, he used me,” she said in the statement said.

Investigating officer ASP Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz agreed with Hisyam’s suggestion that Doan did not take the opportunity to dispose her personal belongings, including a t-shirts with the word ‘LOL’ and a skirt she wore that day, even though she had the chance to do so.

However, the police officer disagreed with Hisyam’s suggestion that the accused had no intention of killing the victim.

Hisyam: I suggest that Mr Y, Hanamori, Chang and James, should be sitting in the dock. Wan Azirul Nizam: I agree. Hisyam: I suggest that Doan was used as a scapegoat.

Wan Azirul Nizam: I disagree.

Earlier, two video clips of the pranks performed by Doan with a man known as Quang Bek in Hanoi were shown in the court.

The hearing before Judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin continues today. - Bernama