Chemist says VX byproduct on Kim Jong Nam’s murder suspect’s shirt

Indonesian Siti Aisyah (right) is escorted by police as she leaves after the court hearing at Shah Alam court house in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, in Malaysia. A judge and court officials wore face masks and surgical gloves in court as samples were admitted as evidence of where VX nerve agent was found on the body and clothing of estranged North Korean scion Kim Jong Nam. On the third day of the murder trial of the two suspects, a pathologist said VX was detected in Kim Jong Nam’s eye mucus, on his face, in his blood and on his clothing. (AP Photo)

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia – A chemist says he found a byproduct of VX nerve agent on the shirt of the Indonesian woman on trial in Malaysia for the murder of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The testimony on Thursday was the first evidence linking VX to either of the two suspects. Previous witnesses have testified the nerve agent was found on Kim Jong Nam’s body and belongings and have identified acute VX poisoning as the cause of his death.

Government chemist Raja Subramaniam told the court that he found VX acid, a byproduct of the banned chemical weapon, on Siti Aisyah’s sleeveless top.

Raja said VX will degrade when it reacts with water, leaving detectable byproducts, and a person can fully decontaminate their hands by washing and scrubbing.