Riyadh, Dec 23 (AFP/APP): Five people have been sentenced to death over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but two top figures investigated over the killing have been exonerated, Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said Monday. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, was murdered in October last year in what Riyadh called a “rogue” operation, tipping the kingdom into one of its worst diplomatic crises and tarnishing the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The 59-year-old Saudi insider-turned-critic was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, according to Turkish officials. His remains have not been found. “We found that Khashoggi’s murder was not premeditated,” Saudi deputy general prosecutor Shalaan al-Shalaan told a press conference. Saudi prosecutors had said deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri oversaw Khashoggi’s killing and that he was advised by the royal court’s media czar Saud al-Qahtani. However, Qahtani was investigated but not indicted “due to insufficient evidence” and Assiri was investigated and charged but eventually acquitted on the same grounds, the prosecutor said in a statement. Both aides were part of Prince Mohammed’s tight-knit inner circle and were formally sacked over the killing, but only Assiri appeared … Continue reading Saudi court sentences five to death over Khashoggi murder