Mubarak to be charged for corruption, protester deaths

(CNN) — Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons will face trial before a criminal court for the killings of protesters and the waste of public money, the Egyptian general prosecutor’s office announced Tuesday.

Mubarak stepped down as Egypt’s leader on February 11, after an 18-day uprising against his nearly three decades of iron-fisted rule.

Specifically, Mubarak is being charged with consenting to a plan to kill protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on January 25, according to Adel Saeed, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

Mubarak ordered police officers to use live ammunition while firing into the crowd of protesters, Saeed said.

The former leader and his two sons, Gamal and Alla, are also charged with using official positions to acquire four villas in the resort city of Sharm El Sheikh under fake names.

They also are accused of allowing businessman Hussein Salem — currently sought by Interpol — to illegally acquire vast land holdings in South Sharm El Sheikh.

In addition, prosecutors allege that Mubarak and a former oil minister allowed Salem to move ahead with a $2 billion illegal deal exporting gas to Israel. The deal led to a loss of $714 million for the state, prosecutors say.

Mubarak is also under investigation for possible commissions tied to various arms deals. A military prosecutor is looking into the charges, which could have national security implications.

Finally, Alla and Gamal Mubarak are being investigated in a series of additional possible corruption charges tied to Egyptian debt payments and partnerships with foreign companies, among other things.

CNN’s Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report.