Saudi 'Prince' charged with murdering his 'aide'
at London Landmark hotel
A member of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family has been charged with murdering his aide at the five-star Landmark hotel in London, Scotland Yard said.
By Andrew Hough
Published: 9:17PM GMT 18 Feb 2010
The Landmark Hotel in central London where the victim was discovered dead in his room having suffered severe head injuries.
Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 33, is accused of killing Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz earlier this week.
He is also accused of committing grievous bodily harm on him, police said.
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Mr Abdulaziz was found dead at the five-star Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, central London.
A post-mortem examination found he was strangled and had also suffered head injuries.
The charged man, who is a distant relative of a nephew of King Abdullah, does not qualify for diplomatic immunity, sources have said.
The pair had been staying at the Landmark hotel in Marylebone for the past month – at a cost of around £15,000 – during a sightseeing tour of London.
Detectives were called to the eight-storey hotel after his body was found in a room on Monday evening.
The House of Saud has more than 6,000 members, but the most power and influence is wielded by 200 princes who are closest to King Abdullah.
Under the 1961 Vienna Convention, senior royals and diplomats, their families and staff, can escape prosecutions in foreign lands.
Only a suspect's Government can waive immunity and it is understood that the Saudis had not applied for the measures.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said the accused Saudi will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7266876/Saudi-Prince-charged-with-murdering-his-aide-at-London-Landmark-hotel.html
