Jong-nam murder case transferred to High Court

SEPANG: The magistrate's court here has transferred the murder case of Kim Jong-nam to the Shah Alam High Court for hearing.

Sessions Court judge Harith Sham Mohamed Yasin, who was sitting as a magistrate, allowed the application under Section 177A of the Criminal Procedure Code made by DPP Muhammad Iskandar Ahmad on Tuesday.

The court, however, did not fix a date for mention at the higher court.

The North Korean embassy appointed Datuk Jagjit Singh to hold a watching brief for the embassy.

Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 29, and Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, 25, are being charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murdering Jong-nam, who is the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at KL International Airport 2 on Feb 13.

They face the mandatory death penalty if convicted.

Earlier, lawyer Gooi Soon Seng, who is representing Siti Aisyah, told the court that the defence had sent written applications and reminders to the police and prosecution to ask for materials in helping the defence's case.

"We did not receive a single reply," he said.

DPP Muhammad Iskandar said the prosecution was duty-bound to supply materials to the defence.

"I undertake to supply everything in bulk. We have everything from the police.

"Let us compile it properly before we hand it over to the defence," he said.                       

Representatives from the Vietnamese and Indonesian embassies were also present in court.