CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd December, 2019) The Criminal Court in Riyadh issued death sentences for five people over their involvement in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Public Prosecution said Monday.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, went missing in October 2018 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts but eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside the embassy.
"The Criminal Court of Riyadh rendered its decision regarding the (11) individuals who were indicted and charged as follows: 1- capital punishment for (5) individuals for committing and directly participating in the murder of the victim," the prosecutors said in a statement published by the country's Foreign Ministry on its Twitter account.
Three other people were sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison over their role in covering up the crime, the prosecutors said.
In addition, the court acquitted three of the 11 people charged by the prosecution.
