President Mohamed Mursi ordered Mubarak-era attorney general Abdel Maguid Mahmoud to retire on Thursday and appointed him as Egypt’s ambassador to Vatican.

According to Mursi’s decision, one of Mahmoud’s aides will be the acting attorney general temporarily, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.

A number of political powers have demanded the sacking of Mahmoud and stated he is responsible for the acquittal of all defendants in the infamous “Battle of the Camel” case.

Cairo’s criminal court acquitted on Wednesday all 24 defendants in the “Battle of the Camel” case which took place in Tahrir Square in February 2011.

Mahmoud was appointed attorney general in 2006 under former president Hosni Mubarak.