Mubarak witness accused of perjury

A key witness in the trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has been charged with perjury after dramatically changing his evidence.

The move came after Captain Mohammed Abdel-Hakim, in charge of ammunition for a Cairo security regiment, denied he had any knowledge that police were armed or given orders to shoot protesters in the anti-Mubarak uprising.

Lawyers for the families of dead protesters accused him of changing his earlier statements to prosecutors in which he said he had been given orders to open fire, and the judge ordered him arrested. Abdel-Hakim had told investigators he issued hundreds of bullets to each of his soldiers.

Prosecutors say four earlier witnesses also changed their stories, though none have been charged.

Family lawyers praised the perjury arrest after earlier criticism that the prosecution was not acting strongly enough to discipline its witnesses and present its case. Some have accused senior security officials and Mubarak supporters of pressuring the witnesses into changing their stories.

“The prosecution took a brave step in response to the lawyers of the families, who were very upset because of all the perjuries,” said Gamal el-Shukheibi, one lawyer for the dead protesters families. “It is clear the witnesses are coming under pressure to change their testimonies.”

Some of the lawyers say they intend to ask for similar perjury charges against the earlier witnesses. The state prosecutor would have to decide whether to press charges.

Prosecutors claim that Mubarak and former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, his highest ranking security chief, issued the orders allowing use of lethal force against the peaceful protesters, which left nearly 850 protesters killed. The uprising eventually forced Mubarak to step down on February 11.

Heavy security troops were deployed Wednesday outside the court to prevent the scuffles that have repeatedly broken out between families of the victims, security and Mubarak supporters since the trial began August 3. There were minor tension outside the court on Wednesday, with very few Mubarak supporters attending.

The judge had decided last month to ban live television coverage of the trial, a decision that has frustrated hundreds of victims’ families and ordinary Egyptians who want to follow the historic proceedings.