Malaysian police seek 2 witnesses for Kim Jong Nam assassination trial

Ms Raisa Rinda Salma (left) and Ms Dessy Meyrisinta, both Indonesians, cannot be contacted, say police.
Ms Raisa Rinda Salma (left) and Ms Dessy Meyrisinta, both Indonesians, cannot be contacted, say police.

SHAH ALAM • Malaysian police are looking for two Indonesian women to appear as witnesses in the Kim Jong Nam murder trial, local media reported yesterday.

Selangor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Fadzil Ahmat said in a statement that the two women are Ms Raisa Rinda Salma, 24, and Ms Dessy Meyrisinta, 33, reported national news agency Bernama.

Both witnesses could not be contacted, Mr Fadzil said. Their last address was given as Flamingo Hotel in Ampang, Selangor.

He urged anyone who knows or has information on the women to call senior investigating officer Wan Azirul Nizam from the CID of Sepang district police headquarters on 017-655 6575, or any nearest police station.

Mr Kim, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, died after his face was smeared with VX, a nerve agent banned by the United Nations, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb 13 last year.

Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese, were charged with Mr Kim's murder and were ordered by the trial judge to enter their defence last month.

Four North Korean men, who remain at large, were also charged with Mr Kim's assassination.

The murder was a well-planned conspiracy between the women and the four North Koreans at large, judge Azmi Ariffin said in his ruling on Aug 16 that took more than two hours to read.

Siti Aisyah and Doan, both in their 20s, have pleaded not guilty, saying they thought they were involved in a prank for a reality TV show.

The trial is set to continue in the Shah Alam High Court between November and next February.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on September 02, 2018, with the headline Malaysian police seek 2 witnesses for Kim Jong Nam assassination trial. Subscribe