France’s Sarkozy sentenced to jail
Former president guilty of corruption and influence peddling
Paris court found French former president Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling on Monday and sentenced him to a year in prison. He can ask to serve that time at home and also plans to appeal.
The 66-year-old, who was president from 2007 to 2012, was convicted of trying to bribe a magistrate in exchange for information about a legal case in which he was implicated.
He will remain free while he appeals, but it was a blow to the retired politician who still plays an influential role in French conservative politics. It’s not the end of his legal troubles either: He faces another trial later this month and is also under investigation in a third case.
The ruling marks the first time in France’s modern history that a former president has been convicted of corruption — and given a prison term. His predecessor, Jacques Chirac, was found guilty in 2011 of misuse of public money during his time as Paris mayor — not considered a corruption offence — and was given a two-year suspended prison sentence.
The court said Sarkozy is entitled to ask to be detained at home with an electronic bracelet — as is the case for any sentence of two years or less. He also received a two-year suspended sentence — which he will not have to serve if he commits no new offence in the next five years.
Later, Sarkozy’s lawyer, Jacqueline Laffont, said he would appeal.
Sarkozy’s co-defendants — his lawyer and longtime friend Thierry Herzog, 65, and nowretired magistrate Gilbert Azibert, 74 — were also found guilty and given the same sentence.
Laffont, Sarkozy’s lawyer, argued the whole case was based on “idle chatter” between a lawyer and his client.
Sarkozy vigorously denied any malicious intention in his offer to help Azibert. He told the court that his political life was all about “giving (people) a little help. That all it is, a little help,” he said during the trial.