Libyans are questioning the timing of the release of Saadi Gaddafi, a son of Libya’s late dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was overthrown and killed in a 2011 uprising.

Some residents of the capital Tripoli however praised the Libyan judiciary for basing its decision on “justice and integrity”. Saadi – the strongman’s third son, now aged 47 — was known for his playboy lifestyle and briefly played as a professional footballer in Italy.

“Why were Saadi and (intelligence chief) Ahmad Ramadan released now?,” asked Abdellatif Dakdak, a fuel engineer.

“Also this talk about the body of Kadhafi, in my opinion, all of this is because of political agreements between those people who are close to the presidency,” he said.