A Riyadh court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced five people to death and three to prison terms over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The kingdom’s public prosecutor’s office made this known on Monday, December 23, saying the court hearing the case held a total of nine sessions attended by representatives of the international community as well as Khashoggi’s relatives.
According to him, “The court issued death sentences on five men who directly took part in the killing.”
Meanwhile, the Herald reported that an Ikeja High Court in Lagos state sentenced Prince Adewale Oyekan, son of late Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, to death over the murder of a 62-year-old businesswoman, Alhaja Sikirat Ekun.
The trial began on April 14, 2015. Oyekan was sentenced alongside a domestic staff, Lateef Balogun.
The duo had been in custody for seven years after strangling Ekun and throwing her corpse into a well in her home. Justice Raliatu Adebiyi said the prosecution had proved the charges preferred against the duo beyond reasonable doubt.
She said: ”The circumstantial evidence was strong and cogent, the act of the defendants in killing the deceased was intentional and premeditated. The court finds that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence of conspiracy and murder and are accordingly found guilty of the two-count charge.
“Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 stipulates the punishment for the offence of murder as follows. Subject to the provisions of any other law, a person who commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death.
“Same is the punishment for conspiracy to commit murder as contained in Section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. The above cited provisions of the law does not give the court any discretion whatsoever in sentencing the defendants.
“For this reason, the first and second defendants are hereby sentenced accordingly on each of count one and two to death by hanging. May God the giver of life have mercy on your soul.”