North Korean Suspect in Kim Jong Nam murder case Ri Jong-chol was released from remand at 8.50am on Friday.

N. Korean suspect released from custody

SEPANG: North Korean Ri Jong-chol was released from remand at around 8.50am on Friday.

He was then driven out of the Sepang police headquarters, where he was being held.

Jong-chol arrived at the Immigration Department headquarters in Putrajaya at 9.15am to begin the process of his deportation.

The North Korean was arrested in connection with the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali had earlier confirmed that Jong-chol, who was detained on Feb 18, would be released from police custody after his second remand expires, and deported.

"He will not be charged here as there is insufficient evidence against him," Apandi said Thursday.

He also said that Jong-chol, who was detained at his condominium in Jalan Kuchai Lama, would need to be deported as he does not possess valid documents.

Jong-chol, described as an expert in chemistry, was supposedly working at the IT department of Tombo Enterprise Sdn Bhd, a company producing anti-cancer supplements in Cheras.

He graduated in the science and medicine field from a university in North Korea in 2000. Some 10 years later he worked for a research centre in Kolkata, India, until 2011.

He allegedly drove one of four North Korean men who are believed to be the masterminds behind Jong-nam's murder.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/03/03/north-korean-released-from-custody/#lMQRpbHZ9gYSME5c.99

KUALA LUMPUR: The family of North Korean chemist Ri Jong-chol, detained over the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, might have gone into hiding.

This follows Jong-chol’s arrest by the police last Feb 17, to facilitate investigations into the killing which occurred at the KL International Airport 2 (klia2), four days earlier.

The 47-year-old suspect’s remand order expires tomorrow.

A Bernama check of the Jalan Kuchai Lama condominium unit where the family last stayed was found locked.

According to a neighbour, the murder suspect’s wife and two children had left the unit hurriedly, a few hours after Jong-chol, who is also an IT expert, was arrested.

“I don’t know where they (Jong-chol’s family) went. Jong-chol’s wife and children left in a hurry. We are still in shock over what had happened,” he said.

A Bernama journalist who went to enquire the family’s condominium unit and whereabouts was accompanied by two security guards who cautioned against taking photographs or risk confiscation of the camera equipment.

Bernama was made to understand that the condominium residents had requested for heightened security following Jong-chol’s arrest.

Two others, Siti Aishah, 25, an Indonesian national, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, a Vietnamese citizen, were charged at the Sepang Magistrate’s Court yesterday for Jong-nam’s murder.

It was reported that Jong-nam was at klia2 on Feb 13 to board a flight to Macau when two women allegedly wiped his face with toxic liquid which was later identified as ‘VX’ nerve agent.

Jong-nam, reportedly sought help at a customer service counter at the airport and was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital but died on the way. He had arrived in Malaysia on Feb 6.-- BERNAMA