Egypt's most hated man jailed for 12 years

Egypt's once-feared former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, was on Thursday sentenced to 12 years in jail for corruption, in the first trial of a minister from former president Hosni Mubarak's regime.

Al-Adly, who was the face of the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters during the mass uprising that ousted President Mubarak, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for money laundering and profiteering.

As the head of the country's security services he was a key part of Mubarak's regime and came to be the most hated political figure the country. He had pleaded not guilty to both charges. The court has ruled that al-Adly will be punished with seven years in prison for profiteering, said the judge.

On the second charge of money-laundering, he sentenced Adly to five years. Al-Adly has been accused of selling land to an interior ministry contractor "illegally and received more than $700,000 in kickbacks", al Jazeera reported.

The former minister was also fined roughly 15 million Egyptian pounds ($2.5 million). Al-Adly became the first top official of the former regime to be sentenced. He is also facing trial for ordering the use of live ammunition against unarmed protester and if  convicted could face the gallows.

Almost two dozen other ministers and officials have been detained since Mubarak's ouster on February 11. His testimony and conviction on opening fire on protesters could ultimately lead to trial of the toppled president.

An official inquiry into deaths during the uprising found that at least 846 civilians and 26 police officers were killed. Much of the former regime's leadership, including Mubarak's two sons Gamal and Alaa, are behind bars, most of them on suspicion or charges of corruption.

Mubarak himself is detained in a hospital room in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, reportedly after suffering a heart attack while being questioned.