CAIRO - Any accusations of corruption against Hosni Mubarak should go through military, not civilian authorities, his defence lawyer said on Thursday, seeking to undermine the prosecution's case against the former Egyptian president. Lawyer Farid el-Deeb was defending Mubarak for a third day in a trial which Egyptians who rose up against him hope will bring justice - the prosecution is seeking the death sentence on a charge that Mubarak ordered the killing of protesters. Yet those who want to see Mubarak punished are starting to express concern that the prosecution's case is not as strong as they had hoped. A not guilty verdict would likely outrage many and could fuel more protests. Citing a military justice code, Deeb said Mubarak should have been treated according to his status as a former officer once he ceded his presidential powers to the military council that has been governing Egypt since last February. "A military court, and no one else, is charged with viewing any cases of illicit gains," Deeb said. Mubarak had been an airforce lieutenant general before he moved into public office, a rank Deeb said his client kept for life. As in previous sessions, the 83-year-old Mubarak was wheeled into the courtroom on a hospital trolley. The man who governed Egypt for three decades listened to the defence from a cage reserved for the defendants, alongside him his two sons who are standing trial on charges of corruption.
