Kim murder suspect asks parents to pray
KUALA LUMPUR: A suspect in the poisoning death of the North Korean leader’s half brother wrote to her parents from jail, asking them to pray for her but saying “don’t think about me too much”.
Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian mother who worked in Malaysia, appeared in court yesterday along with a second suspect, Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam. Their trial was formally transferred to the High Court as the lower court had no jurisdiction to hear a murder case.
They are the only people who have been arrested in the assassination of Kim Jongnam at Kuala Lumpur’s international airport on Feb 13. The suspects are accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim’s face in the crowded airport terminal. He died soon afterwards. The women have said they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.
Yusron Ambary, counsellor at the Indonesian Embassy, said Ms Siti wrote a letter to her parents recently, asking them not to worry about her. “I am in good health. Just pray. Don’t think about me too much. Keep healthy and pray at night. I have a lot of people helping me. The embassy officials always come to see me, my lawyers also. Don’t worry. Pray for me so that the case will be over soon and I can go back home. Send my love to my son Rio,” he read from the letter to reporters outside the courtroom.
Prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad said the date for their first appearance in the High Court would usually be within a month. The suspects would then enter pleas and the trial would have to start within 90 days, Mr Iskandar said.
The court was also informed that lawyer Jagjit Singh was appointed by the North Korean embassy to monitor the case for
them. Mr Singh told reporters later that he was engaged to “protect the interest” of the North Korean government. He didn’t elaborate.
Ms Siti’s lawyer, Gooi Soon Seng, earlier complained to the court that prosecutors and police have failed to provide them the evidence despite repeated requests. Mr Iskandar assured the court that prosecutors will supply the material before the trial. Mr Gooi said failure to disclose material evidence at the earliest opportunity could undermine the defence case.