CAIRO, Feb 25 (Aswat Masriya) - A Cairo court scheduled the verdict date for the trial of former president Mohamed Mursi and 130 others for May 16, during a session on Wednesday. 

Brotherhood politician Mursi and the rest of the defendants face charges of murder and attempted murder of policemen, torching government buildings, breaking into prison and helping prisoners escape, in January 2011. 

In an appearance in court last month, Mursi said, "I personally slept, and the brothers woke me up and told me that … the prison was open and there is no one else but the Muslim Brotherhood and if you stay you will die."

He added that "for four hours, people kept breaking the door. We did not know if they were inmates or families. After the door was broken, we were alone in the prison." 

Mursi, who climbed to power becoming Egypt's president in June 2012, was eventually ousted after a year at the hands of the military, following mass protests against his rule.

He has since been accused of several charges and stood as defendant in various trials, for inciting the killing of protesters outside the presidential palace during his tenure in December 2012, insulting the judiciary, and two trials for espionage.

Since Mursi's ouster in July, Muslim Brotherhood leaders and prominent figures have often found themselves behind bars and facing courts.  

Egypt listed the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation in December 2013 and insists it is behind the wave of militancy which has targeted security personnel since July 2013. The Brotherhood continuously denies the accusations.