One of the suspects had been duped into believing she was taking part in a TV prank show.
Two women arrested over the killing of the North Korean leader's half-brother in Kuala Lumpur knew they were taking part in a poison attack, Malaysia's police chief said Wednesday, after reports they believed it was a prank.
"Yes, of course they knew," Khalid Abu Bakar said when asked by a reporter if the women knew they were carrying a toxic substance when they approached Kim Jong-Nam, the sibling of Kim Jong-Un.
"I think you have seen
the video, right? The lady was moving away with her hands towards the bathroom. She was very aware that it was toxic and that she needed to wash her hands."
Indonesian police had said one of the suspects had been duped into believing she was taking part in a TV prank show.
Diplomatic tensions have escalated between North Korea and Malaysia since the killing, with the countries tussling over custody of the victim's body and trading barbs over Malaysia's handling of the investigation.
Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world that maintains ties with the nuclear-armed nation.
Earlier this week Malaysia recalled its ambassador from Pyongyang after North Korea's ambassador in Kuala Lumpur cast doubt on the fairness of the ongoing probe.
The police said no
family member of Kim Jong Nam has come forward to claim the body or provide DNA samples yet, dismissing rumours that a son had arrived in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week.
Malaysia has said it will only release the body to the next-of-kin once the cause of death and identity have been confirmed, while North Korea has demanded it be handed over to its embassy directly.
(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)