SHAH ALAM: The prosecution in the high-profile Kim Jong-nam murder case has made an application to prevent parties from making comments about the case outside the courtroom.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said those involved – be they lawyers or prosecutors – must avoid making statements to the media which could influence the court.
"In short, we must all adhere to sub judice rules. This application is in general, and not directed to anyone in particular," he said.
He added that examples of sub judice were making comments on the progress of the case and on the evidence tendered.
Sub judice is Latin for "under judgment", which means that a particular case is still ongoing and being considered by the court.
Tuesday was the sixth day of the trial of Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, who are both charged with four others still at large, with the murder of Kim Chol, 45, at the departure hall of KL International Airport 2 at 9am on Feb 13.
Kim Chol was the alias used by Jong-nam – the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – when he travelled.
Siti's lawyer, Gooi Soon Seng, said there was intense media attention on the case and they could not just say "no comment" when approached by the press.
Doan Thi Huong's lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said that as it was an open court case, it was fair to share what had transpired in court.
High Court Justice Azmi Ariffin did not make any orders as to the application.
However, he advised those involved not to cross the line when making comments.
"It's fine to talk about what transpired in court. But be cautious, comments can influence people," he said.
The hearing continues Tuesday afternoon.
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