North Korean Ri Jong-Chol entered the country on an employment pass, Court told

SHAH ALAM: North Korean Ri Jong-Chol, whose vehicle was used to ferry three of the North Koreans, who are still at large, during the murder of Kim Jong-Nam had entered the country on an employment pass (pas penggajian), the High Court was told today.
Sepang district police headquarters investigating officer, ASP Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz, said investigations revealed Ri was a businessman, with qualifications in chemicals and information technology.
In reply to defence counsel Gooi Soon Seng's question on Ri's possessions at the time of his arrest on Feb 17, Wan Azirul Nizam testified that police seized 14 items that included a bottle of chloride (compound), four handphones containing Maxis and UMobile SIM cards, two laptops, two tablets, one desktop computer, two pink gloves and a toothbrush at his residence in Dynasty Garden Condominium in Kuchai Entrepreneurial Park, Kuala Lumpur, adding that the items were sent to a police forensics lab in Cheras.
He also confirmed having seized US$38,000 (RM160,500) in cash from Ri.
However, he said the items were never tested for VX poison at the Chemistry Department in Petaling Jaya.
Wan Azirul Nizam was unable to produce the forensics report on the items when asked to do so and was ordered by High Court judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin to produce it on the next trial date.
Wan Azirul Nizam also said the handphones were later returned to Ri when he was deported on March 3.
To another question by Gooi, Wan Azirul Nizam said no subpoena or police bond was issued to Ri to compel him to stand as a witness in the trial as he felt that there was no need for it at the time of investigations.
Wan Azirul Nizam said he only took Ri's statement once following the arrest and agreed when Gooi said it would be impossible to call him back as a witness for the trial since he had left the country.
The trial will resume on Monday.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 29, with four others still at large, were charged with the murder of Kim Chol, 45, at the klia2 departure hall at 9am on Feb 13. He arrived in the country on Feb 6.
It was reported that Jong-Nam, who travelled with a passport bearing the name of Kim Chol, was at the airport to board a flight to Macau when two women approached and suddenly wiped his face with toxic liquid, that was later identified as VX nerve agent.
Jong-Nam died while on the way to the Putrajaya Hospital.
The murder charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the mandatory death sentence.