Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor announced on Monday that five people have been sentenced to death in the murder of citizen Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last year.
Another three people were given jail terms totaling 24 years.
Deputy Public Prosecutor and spokesman Shalaan al-Shalaan, reading out the trial verdict, said the court dismissed charges against the remaining three of the 11 people that had been on trial, finding them not guilty. None of the defendants' names was immediately released.
"The investigation showed that the killing was not premeditated ... The decision was taken at the spur of the moment," Shalaan said.
Saud Al Qahtani was investigated but he was not charged and was released. Former deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Asiri was released for insufficient evidence.
The prosecutor said investigations proved there was no enmity between those convicted and Khashoggi
Everyone who was found to be involved in the case was investigated, he said. A total of nine hearings were held and the verdicts were released during the tenth.
Representatives of Khashoggi’s family and from Turkey were present at the sessions.
Shalaan also said the Saudi consul-general to Turkey at the time, Mohammed al-Otaibi, had been freed after Turkish witnesses said Otaibi had been with them on the day of the crime.
The verdicts can still be appealed.
