Journalist’s killing ‘premeditated’, says Saudi prosecutor, as government sign deals worth $56bn at summit
Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor today said journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder was premeditated.
"The public prosecution received information from the Turkish side through the Joint Working Group between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Turkish Republic, indicating that the suspects in Khashoggi's case premeditated their crime," attorney general Shaikh Suood bin Abdullah Al Mo'jab said, according to a state news agency.
The announcement came as Saudi Arabia said it signed deals worth $56bn (£43.4bn) at a controversial investment conference despite a widespread boycott of the event following the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The kingdom's energy minister Khalid Al-Falih told state TV that 25 deals were signed, mostly with US companies.
Business leaders and diplomats from around the world withdraw from the event over the killing of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October.
But the Future Investment Initiative, hosted by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and the country's sovereign wealth fund, went ahead as planned, finishing on Thursday.
Despite the US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's withdrawal along with a number of high profile executives from the likes of Google, Uber, Mastercard and JP Morgan, Al-Falih said ties had not been damaged.
He said: “The US will remain a key part of the Saudi economy because the interests that tie us are bigger than what is being weakened by the failed boycotting campaign of the conference.”
Saudi state oil giant Saudi Aramco said it signed deals with 15 international partners worth more than $34bn.