Sarkozy charged with corruption

FORMER French president Nicolas Sarkozy was charged last night with corruption offences over £42million of payments from Colonel Gaddafi.

Sarkozy, 63, is facing a criminal trial and could be jailed over the donations, which are believed to have been laundered through bank accounts in Panama and Switzerland. He was interrogated in Paris, about his links to the late Libyan dictator, who is said to have provided the cash to propel Sarkozy to power in 2007.

After returning home to his third wife, former supermodel and pop singer Carla Bruni, he was charged with passive bribery, illegal campaign financing and receiving £4.35million of Libyan public funds. All of the offences are punishable with jail time. Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing.