‘Condo unit used as lab to make nerve agent’

SHAH ALAM: The home of a North Korean was said to have been used as a clandestine lab to produce VX nerve agent, the poison that killed Kim Chol (or Kim Jong-nam), the High Court heard.

To a question by defence counsel Gooi Soon Seng, ninth witness Asst Supt Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz agreed that the police raided Ri Jong-chol’s home as they suspected the condominium unit in Kuala Lumpur was used as a lab.

During the raid, police seized a bottle of chloride, gloves, a toothbrush and US$38,000 (RM160,626). The confiscated items, except for the money, were sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.

Also seized were four handphones, four SIM cards, two tablets, two laptops and a desktop, which were sent to the Forensics Department.

In previous court proceedings, Jong-chol’s name was established as the registered owner of an MPV which was used to transport three of the four suspects (Mr Chang, Mr Y and Hanamori) who are at large from the KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2) to the KL International Airport after the attack on Kim Chol on Feb 13.

Gooi: I suggest that Jong Chol was a science graduate majoring in chemistry.

ASP Wan Azirul: I agree. He is also an expert in IT.

The court heard that Jong Chol was then arrested on Feb 17, and remanded for two weeks.

Jong Chol, who said he was a trader in his

statement to the police, was deported from Malaysia on March 3 after having his statement taken.

Gooi: I put it to you, after one is deported to North Korea, it is impossible to retrieve him as a witness.

ASP Wan Azirul: There is a possibility. Gooi: So did you issue a subpoena or take any action to bring him back for this trial? ASP Wan Azirul: No.

Gooi: Why? You said yourself there is a possibility (to bring him back).

ASP Wan Azirul: I did not receive any orders to do so.

The police officer was testifying in the trial of Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, who are jointly charged, with four men still at large, with killing Kim Chol, 45, at the KLIA2 departure hall.

Kim Chol is the alias used by Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whenever he travelled.

The hearing continues before Justice Azmi Ariffin on Monday.