Suspects’ clothing had traces of VX, lab expert says

SHAH ALAM: The VX (nerve agent) poison, as well as its precursor and degradation elements, were discovered on the clothing items of both murder suspects Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 29, the High Court heard yesterday.

Chemistry Department’s centre of chemical weapon analysis lab head Dr Raja Subramaniam ( pix), 42, confirmed the degradation elements of VX were found on a sleeveless T-shirt belonging to Siti following a test conducted on case items, including the suspects’ clothing.

Raja, who is the eighth witness in the trial, also confirmed that Doan’s white jumper with the “LOL” motive also had traces of VX poison as well as precursor and degradation elements of it.

Traces of degradation elements were also discovered on Doan’s fingernail samples.

When asked by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on the meaning of precursor and degradation elements, Raja said the elements confirmed the presence of VX substance. “It is the deadliest nerve agent created. “Just one drop containing 10mg is enough to cause fatal disruption to the nervous system,” he told the High Court during the murder trial of Kim Chol, or better known as Kim Jong-Nam, yesterday.

Following a request by defence counsel Gooi Soon Seng to witness the evidence exhibit which allegedly contain VX, Wan Shahrudin proposed that the display session be conducted in a safe environment at the Chemical Department in Petaling Jaya.

Declaring that the place will be an open court, High Court judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin ruled that the next court session will be held at the laboratory in the Chemical Department at 10am on Monday.

He also ordered Siti and Doan, as well as their respective counsels be present during the session.

The trial and subsequent cross examination by the defence on Raja will continue at the High Court following the session.

Indonesian Siti and Vietnamese Doan along with four others still at large, were charged with the murder of Kim, 45, at the KL International Airport 2 (klia2) departure hall on Feb 13.