Kuala Lumpur, May 30 (IANS): Two female suspects arrested for the murder of the North Korean dictators estranged half-brother brother Kim Jong-nam will have their case heard in a Malaysian High Court.

After Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam attended a court here with armed escort on Tuesday, a magistrate decided that the case should be transferred to Shah Alam High Court in Selangor.

The trial has been moved after being delayed twice due to the prosecution's request for evidence and document compilation, Malay Mail Online reported.

As the women faced court in April, their lawyers said they feared "a trial by ambush" with police not sharing evidence.

If convicted, both women face death penalty for murdering Kim at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13 as he attempted to fly to Macau.

The two women allegedly smeared Kim‘s face with the toxic VX nerve agent, a chemical classed by as a weapon of mass destruction.

US and South Korean officials said the murder was orchestrated by North's leader Kim Jong-un.

Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, had spoken out publicly against his family's dynastic control of the isolated, nuclear-armed nation.

Aisyah and Huong told diplomats from their countries that they had believed they were carrying out a prank for a reality television show, and not a murder.

Both were young migrant workers, who originated from rural areas in their home countries and were believed to have been working in the red light district of the Malaysian capital.

The case caused a diplomatic impasse between the two countries, which saw Malaysia deport some 140 North Korean workers last month.