Sarkozy stands in the dock for start of his bribery trial
NICOLAS SARKOZY walked up the courtroom steps yesterday to make history – as the first former president of France to appear in the dock.
The 65-year-old went on trial in Paris accused of bribing a judge to pass on information about an investigation into corruption claims against him.
He risks up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to £1million if convicted.
Proceedings were adjourned until Thursday so medical reports can be prepared on ex-judge Gilbert Azibert, who is accused of taking the bribe.
The 73-year-old did not appear in the dock as he refuses to leave home in Bordeaux for fear of catching Covid.
Sarkozy, who is from a Hungarian background, spoke to confirm his full name Nicolas Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa during the two-hour hearing.
When judge Christine Mée asked ‘how do you pronounce Nagy-Bocsa?’ the former head of state replied: ‘Sarkozy, that will be enough.’
The Paris home of the ex-president and his third wife, ex-model Carla Bruni, was raided by fraud officers days after he lost office in 2012.
The court heard yesterday that intelligence services later eavesdropped on him discussing the bribe with his lawyer Thierry Herzog, 65.
The pair are accused of promising Mr Azibert a job in Monaco in exchange for sharing details of a probe into alleged illegal financing of his 2007 election campaign by France’s richest woman.
Sarkozy was cleared in 2013 over the claims relating to L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt (pictured). But he is due to stand trial next year in a separate case, accused of corruption and peddling his influence. The most serious charge is that he illegally accepted at least £42million in cash from the tyrannical former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Ms Bruni, 52, who is currently promoting a new pop album, was not in court yesterday. Sarkozy has called the trial ‘a scandal that will go down in history’ and has insisted: ‘I’m not a crook.’