TWO women on trial for the murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s estranged half-brother have been accused of being James Bond film-style assassins.
Malaysian prosecutors allege Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam deliberately “used their bodily power” to forcefully smear the toxic VX nerve agent on the eyes and face of Kim Jong Nam, who died within two hours.
The accused’s claims that they were duped by North Korean agents who told them they were playing a harmless prank for a hidden camera show were an “ingenious attempt ... to cover up their sinister plot”, prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said.
The pair, who face the death penalty if convicted, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Kim in a crowded airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur on February 13, 2017.
They are the only suspects in custody, though prosecutors say four North Korean suspects fled Malaysia on the day of the assassination.
Doan described herself an actress, while Aisyah was a masseur.
Wan Shaharuddin said it was “not impossible for someone to lead a double life”. He added: “This type of assassination can only be seen in James Bond movies and the two girls were not randomly picked as a scapegoat. They knew what they had to do and they achieved in doing it.
“There is no room for failure. Only selected and trained individuals can ensure success.”
Defence lawyers argue the women had no motive and were innocent pawns in a North Korean plot.
Wan Shaharuddin contended that the women had intention to kill Kim and knew they were handling poison because they deliberately targeted his eyes and hastily washed their hands after the attack.
An expert testified to the court that the eyes are the best route of entry for the poison to spread, and that VX can be washed off within 15 minutes of exposure without causing any symptoms.
Aisyah’s lawyer, Gooi Soon Seng, said footage showed her heading to the toilet 13 minutes after the attack, raising doubts that she was rushing to wash the poison off within the 15-minute time frame.
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