SHAH ALAM: Two of the four men who were suspected to be involved in the assassination of North Korean Kim Chol changed their appearance shortly after the victim was attacked with VX nerve agent, the High Court heard.
Ninth prosecution witness Assistant Superintendent Wan Azirul Che Wan Aziz said based on the two men's move to change their appearance, seen in the CCTV footage shown in court, the duo were trying to hide their agenda.
"Based on my investigations, the men known as Mr Chang and Mr Y changed their appearance quickly after the incident (attack on Kim Chol) to hide their agenda.
"According to my observation, if they did not have any agenda, they would not have changed," he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Iskandar Ahmad.
Azirul was testifying on day 11 of the trial of Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, who are charged with murdering Kim Chol, along with four others still at large, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) at 9am on Feb 13.
Azirul who was the investigating officer handling the case said the suspect known as Mr Chang, who had a beard and mostache, was wearing a grey shirt with a hoodie, a cap and holding a white plastic bag in his hand before the incident, but changed his clothes afterwards.
"The incident happened at 9am.Based on the CCTV footage at 9am, Mr Chang was seen entering the toilet.
"He came out of the toilet at 9.12am with a clean shaven face, red T-shirt and was not wearing a cap. He was seen carrying an orange plastic bag," Azirul said, adding that he could recognise that it was the suspect as he (the suspect) was still wearing the same shoes.
Meanwhile, the witness said Mr Y who was wearing a grey T-shirt, a black cap and carrying a backpack before the incident went to the toilet at 9.13am and came out at 9.23am wearing a black T-shirt. He was not wearing a cap and not carrying a backpack anymore.
To Iskandar's question regarding the four suspects' role in the attack, Azirul replied that the four were seen at the scene before and after the incident.
"The four men were seen in a meeting and were in contact with one another. It was clear that they had planned their movement and what to do after the attack has been executed," Azirul said.
He said based on his investigations, a suspect known as Hanamori was the mastermind of the attack as he was the first one to arrive at the scene.
He said that based on the CCTV footage, Hanamori was then seen walking with another suspect known as James before Mr Chang and Mr Y joined him at the Bibik Heritage restaurant.
Iskandar: Did you investigate where they went after they got out of klia2?
Azirul: Yes, the three men (Mr Y, Chang and Hanamori) were spotted together at the departure hall.
Iskandar: How about the other suspect?
Azirul: After the incident, James was seen heading to the Sama-Sama Hotel before checking out of the place and then he was seen at the klia2 departure hall.
Trial continues on Nov 6 before judge Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
