A Cairo court has decided it will rule on the appeal of ousted former President Hosni Mubarak on January 13, a court source said on Sunday, a move that could lead to Mubarak being retried over the killing of protesters last year.

Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli were sentenced to life in prison in June after a court ruled they were responsible for the deaths of around 850 people who were killed when security forces tried to quash an uprising against Mubarak.

The source, speaking after a hearing at a court presided over by Ahmed Ali Abdel-Rahman, said the court would rule on appeals lodged by both men on January 13. If their appeals were accepted, they would be retried, the source said.

The same source said the court would on the same date also rule on appeals over corruption charges lodged by Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal.

Mubarak and his two sons are currently being held in Torah prison in Cairo.

Poverty, police brutality and anger at corruption fuelled the 18-day revolt that unseated Mubarak. – Reuters