The Kim Jong-nam murder trial: How we got here

PETALING JAYA: The two female suspects in the murder of North Korean national Kim Jong-nam face their next court appearance on Thursday, with the case expected to be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court.

Vietnamese citizen Doan Thi Huong, 29, and Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, were charged on March 1 under Section 302 of the Penal Code for the murder of Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

If convicted, they face a mandatory death penalty.

The pair had allegedly administered a deadly chemical to his face while he was awaiting a flight to Macau at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) departure hall on Feb 13.

Doan was detained by police two days later as she was attempting to catch a flight back to Vietnam, while Siti Aisyah was detained early the next day.

Here’s a recap of events in arguably the most high profile killing on Malaysian soil in recent years.

Feb 13

- Jong-nam is waiting in line at a self check-in counter at KLIA2 for his flight to Macau, where he lived in exile with his family, when two women attack him in a matter of seconds.

- One of the women distracts him while the other grabs him in a chokehold from behind, before administering a chemical to his face.

- The 45-year-old Jong-nam immediately begins to feel dizzy and tries to seek help from airport staff. His last words before passing out at the airport clinic are “very painful, very painful. I was sprayed liquid.”

- He is transferred by ambulance to the Putrajaya Hospital, but is declared dead en-route.

- The two female attackers are captured on CCTV cameras fleeing the airport in a taxi. One of them is wearing a top with the word “LOL” emblazoned in large letters across the front, and is seen discarding a black glove from one hand.

- At this time, Jong-nam’s true identity has yet to be confirmed.

Feb 14

- Reports originating from South Korea begin to gather pace that the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un died in Malaysia.

- Malaysian police later say that a North Korean man travelling under a passport bearing the name “Kim Chol” died on the way to hospital. They classify the case as “sudden death.”

Feb 15

- South Korean authorities say they are confident that the murdered man is Jong-nam, and accuses North Korea of orchestrating the killing.

- Malaysian police announce the arrest of a woman holding a Vietnamese passport, later identified as 28-year-old Doan Thi Huong.

- Police also arrest 26-year-old local Muhammad Farid Jalaluddin in Ampang to assist investigations.

- An autopsy on Jong-nam’s body is completed at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) despite the objections of North Korea. Officials from its embassy here show up at HKL to demand that the body be released to them.

Feb 16

- Police arrest the second female suspect, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, in the wee hours of the morning after obtaining information from Muhammad Farid, who was her boyfriend.

- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirms that “Kim Chol” is actually Jong-nam, who had been travelling under an alias.

- The authorities also confirm the authenticity of a CCTV image depicting the suspect wearing the ‘LOL’ top, but refuse to state if it is Duon or Siti Aisyah. 

- Both suspects are remanded for seven days.

Feb 17

- Authorities say they will not release Jong-nam’s body until a DNA sample has been provided by a family member.

- North Korean envoy to Malaysia, Kang Chol, makes a dramatic midnight appearance at HKL to demand that Malaysia release the body, and reads a statement accusing the Malaysian Government of “colluding with hostile forces.”

Feb 18

A North Korean chemist identified as Ri Jong-chol becomes the fourth suspect to be arrested by police; he was nabbed at his residence in Kuala Lumpur.

Feb 19

- Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim says police are looking for four more suspects in connection with the murder.

Feb 20

- An escalating diplomatic row prompts Malaysia to recall its ambassador to North Korea, Mohamad Nizan Mohamad.

- Wisma Putra summons North Korean envoy Kang Chol following his disparaging remarks against the Government.

- Kang Chol later holds a press conference outside his residence here to accuse Malaysia of being “in collusion with South Korea.”

Feb 21

- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak issues a stern rebuke of Kang Chol and his claims, saying that the ambassador’s statement was “uncalled for” and “diplomatically rude.”

- International and local media continue to camp outside HKL mortuary for updates on the status of Jong-nam’s body.

Feb 22

- Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar denies South Korean media reports that Jong-nam’s son Kim Han-sol was in Malaysia to claim his father’s body.

- Police also extend the remand of the female suspects.

Feb 24

- Chemical tests on the substance used to poison Jong-nam reveals that it is the deadly VX nerve agent, classified as a “weapon of mass destruction” by the United Nations.

Feb 25

- Airport officials confirm that none of the airport staff who came into contact with Jong-nam had been exposed to the nerve agent.

- Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam allays fears that passengers at KLIA2 could have been contaminated by the VX nerve agent from the Feb 13 attack.

Feb 26

KLIA2 is declared a "safe zone" following a sweep conducted jointly by the police, the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), and the Fire and Rescue Department. The early-morning operation, which required large sections of the airport to be cordoned off, finds no traces of the VX agent.

Feb 28

A high-level delegation from North Korea, led by the country’s former ambassador to the United Nations Ri Tong-il, arrives in Malaysia to discuss the return of Jong-nam’s body.

March 1

- The two female suspects are charged separately with murder at the Sepang magistrate’s court amid tight security around the courthouse. No plea is recorded.

- Siti Aisyah’s lawyer Gooi Soon Seng applies for a gag order against the police and potential witnesses from issuing statements that could incriminate his client, which is granted by Sessions Court judge Harith Sham Mohamed Yasin, who sits as a magistrate.

- The court also grants the prosecution’s request for a joint trial for both cases at the Shah Alam High Court, which is allowed by the court, and April 13 is fixed for mention.

March 3

- North Korean suspect Ri Jong-chol is released from police custody and later deported as there is insufficient evidence to charge him.

- Police issue an arrest warrant for Air Koryo employee Kim Uk-il.

March 6

- North Korean ambassador Kang Chol leaves Malaysia after being declared “persona non-grata” (person not welcomed).

- Pyongyang retaliates by expelling Malaysian ambassador, who had already returned home.

March 7

- The diplomatic row between both countries reaches a boiling point as North Korea bans all Malaysians, mostly consisting of diplomatic staff and their family members, from leaving the country.

- Malaysia immediately retaliates by banning North Koreans from leaving.

- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak chairs an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss securing the safe release of its citizens.

March 9

-  Two of the stranded Malaysians, who work for the United Nations’ World Food Programme in Pyongyang, are allowed to depart the country and head to Beijing.

March 15

- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says the Government is considering handing over Jong-nam’s body to North Korea to secure the release of the nine remaining Malaysians.

March 28

- The Health Ministry says Jong-nam’s body is still at HKL and would remain there until further instructions are received from the Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister’s Department.

March 30

- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says the Government is engaged in “sensitive talks” with Pyongyang on the nine remaining Malaysians still stranded there.

- Jong-nam’s body is subsequently released to North Korea in exchange for the safe return of the nine Malaysians.

March 31

- The nine Malaysians arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 5am, and are received by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as well as their next of kin.