Saudi Arabia consul general in Istanbul Mohammed al-Otaibi has been fired and will be investigated following the disappearance and apparent murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate, Sky News reported on Wednesday, citing Saudi media.
Otaibi reportedly left Istanbul hours after it was announced that Turkish investigators would search his official residence in connection with Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Khashoggi was last seen entering Istanbul’s Saudi consulate on Oct. 2. Saudi officials have strongly denied any involvement in the journalist’s disappearance.
Otaibi also flew out of the country just before it was reported that he can be heard on the seven-minute audio Khashoggi allegedly recorded on his smartwatch of his own torture and murder, the Daily Mail reported.
In the audio, Otaibi allegedly tells members of the hit squad sent by Riyadh to murder Khashoggi that they have to kill the journalist outside the consulate in Istanbul “because you’re going to get me in trouble,” to which they respond: “shut up if you want to live.”