CAIRO, Jan 8 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt's top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, approved on Thursday the grounds for appeal in the case against former President Hosni Mubarak over the charge of complicity in killing protesters, state-run Nile News channel broadcast.

The prosecutor's approval is a procedural step. The memorandum will be referred to the Court of Cassation which will either accept or overturn the prosecutor general's challenge.

Barakat had announced on November 29, 2014 that he will challenge the Cairo Criminal Court's decision to drop the case against Mubarak over the charge of complicity in killing protesters.

The court had also acquitted Mubarak's Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and four of his aides on charges of inciting and aiding the killing of 238 protesters during the 18-day January 2011 uprising which toppled his regime. The acquitted aides were; Ahmed Ramzy, Adly Fayed, Hassan Abdel Rahman and Ismail al-Shaer.