Toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, his two sons, former interior minister Habib El-Adly and six of the latter’s assistants arrived at the Cairo Police Academy on Monday to answer charges of instigating the killing of unarmed protesters during last year’s Tahrir Square uprising.

No clashes took place outside the court building upon the defendants’ arrival, with only a few relatives of slain protesters standing outside. Previous court sessions had witnessed limited clashes between relatives of slain demonstrators, Mubarak supporters and security personnel.

The defendants stand accused of ordering police forces to use live ammunition against anti-regime protesters at the height of Egypt’s 18-day popular uprising that culminated in Mubarak’s ouster.

The 83-year-old Mubarak and his two sons – Alaa and Gamal – are also accused of abusing their authority to accumulate wealth through illicit means. El-Adly has already been slapped with a jail term after being convicted on corruption charges.

Speculation is rife, meanwhile, that the court will deliver an eagerly awaited verdict this month in what has been billed Egypt’s “trial of the century.”

Lawyers for the prosecution, pointing to Mubarak’s failure to stop the killing of peaceful protesters at the height of last year’s revolt, have called for the former president’s execution.

As of press time, Monday’s session was still underway.

846 protesters were killed and more than 11,000 were injured during the January uprising.