An Egyptian court on Saturday postponed until Nov. 29 its verdict in the retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak over charges of killing protesters in 2011.

Mubarak, former interior minister Habib el-Adly and six senior police officials are accused of ordering the killings of more than 800 protesters during the 18-day uprising that toppled Egypt's long-time ruler.

Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison in 2012, but he appealed the ruling, and the court ordered his retrial which began in April 2013.

Although the case was postponed several times, Saturday's hearing was particularly shocking to many Egyptians who expected to hear the verdict.

In justifying the postponement decision, presiding judge Mahmoud Kamel al-Rashidi said the court needed more time to review some 160,000 court documents.

However, November's expected ruling could be appealed and in this case the Court of Cassation would take over the case and its decision would be final.

Mubarak, his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, along with fugitive businessman Hussein Salem, are also facing corruption charges, including squandering public funds and exporting Egypt's natural gas to Israel at a price lower than international market rate.

Mubarak, who currently is kept under house arrest in a military hospital in a Cairo suburb Maadi, was handed down three years in jail over other corruption cases.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)