'Don't think about me too much': Two women accused of assassinating Kim Jong-un's half brother appear in court wearing bullet-proof vests as one writes to her parents asking them to pray for her

  • Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam, attended court
  • Pair are accused of killing Kim Jong-nam by smearing nerve agent on his face 
  • Aisyah wrote to her parents, asking them to 'pray for me that the case ends soon'
  • The women claim they were duped into killing Jong-nam after being told they were taking part in a harmless hidden-camera show 

By Associated Press and Chris Pleasance for MailOnline

Published: 22:30 EST, 29 May 2017 | Updated: 10:05 EST, 30 May 2017

Two women accused of fatally poisoning Kim Jong-un's half-brother at Kuala Lumpur airport have appeared in court wearing bullet-proof vests.

Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam, were protected by armed police as they appeared for a hearing in the Malaysian capital on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a counsellor from the Indonesian embassy said Aisyah wrote to her parents from jail, asking them to 'pray for me that the case will be over soon' but adding: 'Don't think about me too much.'

Aisyah and Huong are accused of smearing a deadly amount of VX nerve agent on Kim Jong-nam's face on February 13. They say they were duped into thinking they were playing a prank for a hidden-camera show. 

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Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, appeared in court Tuesday accused of poisoning Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un

Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, appeared in court Tuesday accused of poisoning Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un

Co-accused Doan Thi Huong was also in court in Kuala Lumur for a brief hearing. The women wore bullet-proof vests and were guarded by armed police

Co-accused Doan Thi Huong was also in court in Kuala Lumur for a brief hearing. The women wore bullet-proof vests and were guarded by armed police

Yusron Ambary, counsellor at the Indonesian Embassy, read a letter that Aisyah wrote to reporters outside the courtroom.

She said: 'I am in good health. Just pray. Don't think about me too much. Keep healthy and pray at night. I have a lot of people helping me. 

The pair are accused of smearing deadly VX nerve agent on Jong-nam's face. They say they thought they were taking part in a hidden-camera show

The pair are accused of smearing deadly VX nerve agent on Jong-nam's face. They say they thought they were taking part in a hidden-camera show

'The embassy officials always come to see me, my lawyers also. Don't worry. 

'Pray for me so that the case will be over soon and I can go back home. Send my love to my son Rio.'

Armed escorts accompanied the women, who smiled at their embassy representatives as they were brought to the dock.

The case was then officially transferred to the High Court, because the lower court does not have the authority to try murder cases. 

Prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad said the date for their first appearance in the High Court would usually be within a month. 

The suspects would then enter pleas and the trial would have to start within 90 days, Iskandar said.

Police have said four North Korean suspects fled Malaysia the day of the attack. Defense lawyers fear the women will be used as scapegoats in their absence.

Siti Aisyah
Doan Thi Huong

Aisyah (left) wrote to her family from jail telling them 'pray for me that the case will be over soon' but also asking 'don't think about me too much' (right, Huong enters the court)

There was a heavy police presence around the trial, with armed guards standing watch outside the courtroom during the women's brief appearance

There was a heavy police presence around the trial, with armed guards standing watch outside the courtroom during the women's brief appearance

Although Malaysia never directly accused North Korea of carrying out the attack, speculation is rampant that Pyongyang orchestrated a hit on a long-exiled member of its ruling elite. 

Although Kim, who was estranged from his family, was not an obvious political threat, he may have been seen as a potential rival in the country's dynastic dictatorship.

North Korea has denounced such speculation.

CCTV appears to show (circled in red) a man purported to be Kim Jong Nam being accosted by a woman in a white shirt at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on February 13. It emerged that he had been poisoned with a lethal nerve agent

CCTV appears to show (circled in red) a man purported to be Kim Jong Nam being accosted by a woman in a white shirt at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on February 13. It emerged that he had been poisoned with a lethal nerve agent

Jong-nam alerted police at the airport about the attack before becoming unresponsive (pictured). He died a short time later 

Jong-nam alerted police at the airport about the attack before becoming unresponsive (pictured). He died a short time later 

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