Kim Jong-nam Was Carrying $100K in Cash in His Backpack at Time of Murder

The half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was murdered on Feb. 13.

October 11, 2017 1:11 pm

Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was carrying $100,000 in cash in his backpack when he was murdered in February, police told a Malaysian court, according to New York Post

Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, are charged with his murder on Feb. 13. They allegedly smeared his face with VX, a chemical poison banned by the United Nations, at the Lumpur airport.

The money is currently in a safe in the office of the police chief of the Sepang district, which has jurisdiction over the murder site, according to New York Post. 

Police official Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz took possession of the victim’s blazer, backpack and watch and handed them to the chemistry department for analysis. However, according to the New York Post, he was later told by authorities to hand them over to representatives of the North Korean embassy, though he later said, “I do not know why, I was following orders,” reports New York Post. 

The prosecution showed more than 30 videos of closed-circuit television footage of the women’s activities. Judge Azmi Ariffin overruled defense objects to their admissibility, and said it could be challenged later in the case.

The defense lawyers for Huong and Siti Aisyah said the videos could be considered hearsay, based on the fact that the investigating officer did not record them himself and did not witness the crime, according to New York Post. 

Most of the videos show Huong and Siti Aisyah before, during and after the attack on Kim Jong-nam. The women were shown in separate locations, except at the end when they are at a taxi-stand, reports New York Post. 

The hearing resumes on Thursday. Wan Azirul will return to the witness stand.

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