AN open court visit today to klia2 in Sepang drew thousands of onlookers as two Kim Jong-nam murder accused –Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong and Indonesian Siti Aisyah – retraced the steps they took on February 13, the day the North Korean died.

At least 50 police personnel wearing face masks, bulletproof vests and armed with submachine guns, escorted the two women along with a coterie of prosecutors, defence lawyers and sitting judge Azmi Ariffin. 

Some 400 police officers were posted throughout the airport to provide security on the ninth day of the trial, police said. About 100 members of the press followed.

It was the second open court visit since the trial began on October 2, the first being to a medical laboratory at the Chemical Department on October 9. 

The entourage began its tour at 9,50am, following Doan’s path and later Siti’s. It began at the check-in kiosk in the main departure hall, where Kim was allegedly smeared with the deadly VX nerve agent. Both suspects have claimed innocence, saying they believed they were taking part in a prank. 

The tour, which took more than two hours, also stopped at the nearby Bibik Heritage restaurant, where Siti was captured on CCTV speaking to a man who prosecutors say bought her a taxi ticket. 

Other locations of interest included the Menara Medical Clinic on Level 2, the toilet where Doan was alleged to have washed chemicals from her hands and the taxi stand at the transportation hub on Level 1.

The group moved at a brisk pace. Half an hour into the tour, both Doan and Siti were given wheelchairs. By the end of it, both appeared exhausted and subdued in their bulletpoof vests draped over their baju kurung.

“It’s not like they’re re-enacting the murder. They’re rushing from place to place,” said Rian Maelzer, a correspondent with China broadcaster CGTN.

“I don’t really understand. Can they get everything in? The CCTV positions and all that?”

Onlookers, meanwhile, appeared awed by the sheer size of the entourage. 

“It’s shocking. I mean going through all this, and it was only two women,” said Kerri, an American tourist. 

Yoki Lim, who owns a telco shop facing the taxi counters, said: “Wow. This could make international news. Hopefully, such things will never happen again. It looks bad on our country.” – October 24, 2017.