Prosecutors in the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak formally requested a penalty of death by hanging for Mubarak and several of his fellow defendants Thursday, an attorney at the court said.

The prosecutor in the trial of former Egypt President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday formally requested death by hanging for him, Egyptian Interior Minister Habib El Adly and four of his six aides. The prosecution also asked for the maximum jail sentence for the two other aides on trial.

Accusing him of ordering the killing of anti-government protesters during the country's uprising last year, and of corruption, on the third and final day of the prosecution’s opening statement in a Cairo courtroom, chief prosecutor Mustafa Khater argued Mubarak should be hanged. He said: “Retribution is the solution. Any fair judge must issue a death sentence for these defendants.”

Mubarak denies the charges, so do two of his sons, Gamal and Alaa who are charged with . The same sentence is also being sought for Egypt’s former interior minister and four other aides.

A verdict in Mubarak's trial is expected before January 25, the date on which the uprising began last year. More than 800 people died in the protests against Mubarak’s near three decade rule during an 18-day revolt that eventually forced him from power in February.

The Mubarak hearing resumes on Monday, when lawyers will present their case against the defendants.

A spokesman for prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman, Adel Saeed, said on Wednesday that the prosecution has evidence that the regime used "thugs" against the protesters. He also quoted the prosecutor saying: "The defendants before you in the cage are the actual instigators and are the ones who gave police officers the order to shoot.”

Mubarak, whose health has been in question since his detention began in April, allegedly broke the law by allowing a friend, businessman Hussein Salem, to export gas to Israel by way of a private company Salem owned without offering the bid to a public tender, resulting in huge losses of money to Egypt.

Salem is also accused in the case. He was arrested by Interpol in Spain several months ago but has not yet been extradited to Egypt.

The court proceedings have been criticised by many Egyptians who worry that Mubarak may be acquitted of the murder charges. Five police officers accused of killing protesters were acquitted last week.

There have been reports in the media that the former President is suffering from cancer and heart problems, and his appearances in court have been on a stretcher.

According to Amnesty International, AI, an estimated 840 protesters were killed and 6,000 injured, but the prosecutor's estimate is lower because of a differentiation between those killed outside police stations while attacking the precinct and those shot while protesting.