Hosni Mubarak could be released this week: Lawyer

Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak will be released within this week as the last corruption case he faces is likely to get settled within 48 hours, his lawyer claimed Monday.

"All that is left for us to do is a simple administrative procedure... I'm certain that Mubarak will be released by the end of this week," reported Xinhua citing Farid al-Deeb.

Since Mubarak is accused of misusing power and receiving gifts from his information minister in the case, he will pay back the money equivalent of the gifts' worth, al-Deeb said. "I'm certain that by settling the last corruption case, Mubarak will be released immediately."

Earlier in the day, an Egyptian court ordered to release Mubarak in his second last corruption case, which accused him of looting funds allocated for maintaining the presidential palaces.

Aly Mashallah, a legal expert, said Mubarak could be also released on bail in the case of killing protesters, as his legal detention period had already expired.

However, if his last corruption case cannot be settled, Mubarak will stay in prison pending investigation for another renewable period (maximum 45 days), Mashallah added.

Mubarak faces retrial over charges of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 upheaval which toppled him. On Saturday, an Egyptian court postponed the retrial to Aug 25 amid ongoing clashes between protesters of recently ousted president Mohammed Morsi and security forces.