A Saudi court Monday jailed eight defendants to between seven and 20 years over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, state media reported, overturning five earlier death sentences.

"Five of the convicts were given 20 years in prison and another three were jailed for 7-10 years," the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing the public prosecution service.

The final court verdict comes after Mr Khashoggi's sons said in May that they had "pardoned" the killers.