Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak will be sentenced to death if the courts find him responsible for the death of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters, the country's new justice minister said on Saturday.

Mohammed el-Guindi told the Al-Ahram newspaper that Mubarak, his wife and two sons are facing allegations of corruption stemming from 30 years in power.

Mubarak, 82, stepped down from office in February following an 18-day protest centralized on Cairo's Tahrir Square. At least 846 protesters were killed during the uprising.

Mubarak was later placed under arrest, after spending time in a hospital suffering from heart problems, and accused of ordering the use of deadly force.

El-Guindi said that Mubarak will be tried for the protesters' deaths, adding that former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly could testify that Mubarak had ordered him to open fire on the protesters.

"Certainly, if convicted for the crime of killing protesters, it could result in the death sentence," said el-Guindi.

"The only one capable of pardoning Mubarak ... would be the new president. If I were the president, I will not pardon him for killing 800 martyrs."

Mubarak has also been blamed for creating a culture of corruption in the government, with much of his wealth reportedly coming through arms deals and gas exports to Israel made through a company owned by a friend.

His wife, Suzanne Mubarak, is also suspected embezzling money through several non-governmental organizations she was involved in.

Since Mubarak's ouster, The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which is ruling the country now, has lightened restrictions, reorganized the electoral process and organized the formation of a new government.

They will hold a new presidential election in November.

On Saturday, the BBC reported that the Muslim Brotherhood was preparing to contest for up to half the parliamentary seats.

The religious group, which is well organized but regarded with suspicion by Washington, has said it will not run a presidential candidate or attempt to win a majority in parliament.

The group had previously run candidates under independent banners to circumvent a crackdown by Mubarak on the formation of political parties.

With files from The Associated Press