#Jamal Khashoggi’s killers sentenced to lengthy prison terms

The final verdicts were delivered in Riyadh Criminal Court against the convicted defendants, who were not identified.

Five received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while two received seven years and another received a 10-year sentence.

They were among 11 people tried by the kingdom in December over Khashoggi’s death, which has brought international condemnation of Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

The newspaper columnist and Salman critic was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. Khashoggi was there for what he thought was an appointment to pick up documents needed to wed his Turkish fiancée.

His body has not been found.

The court ruled that the killing was not premeditated — though the CIA has previously concluded that the prince personally ordered Khashoggi’s murder.

Five defendants were sentenced to death and three others were slapped with lengthy prison terms.

But in May, Khashoggi’s son, Salah Khashoggi, said his family has forgiven the defendants, essentially allowing them to be pardoned from execution in accordance with Islamic law.

Salah Khashoggi lives in Saudi Arabia and has received financial compensation from the royal court for his father’s killing.

The trial faced intense scrutiny by rights groups and observers, who noted that no senior officials or anyone suspected of ordering the killing has been found guilty.

Twenty others still face criminal charges in Turkey.

With Post wires