Sarkozy gets three-year jail term for graft
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption yesterday and handed a three-year prison sentence after a court in Paris convicted him for trying to illegally influence a judge during his time in office.
The sentence includes two years suspended, which means it is unlikely Sarkozy will physically go to prison.
He is almost certain to appeal and remains free, with no arrest warrant issued.
The verdict is the latest twist in the tumultuous political career of the 66 year old who ruled France from 2007 to 2012 and remains a favourite for many on the right.
The conviction is likely to undermine any attempted comeback to frontline politics, an ambition he has denied, but which has been promoted by many supporters ahead of 2022 presidential elections.
The verdict yesterday related to a case of influence peddling and corruption, one of at least four separate investigations into the former leader. Sarkozy was accused of offering to help a judge obtain a senior job in Monaco in exchange for putting pressure on an inquiry into his campaign finances. Prosecutors said Sarkozy and Herzog tried to bribe judge Azibert over an inquiry into claims the former leader had received illicit payments from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt during his successf ul 2007 presidential campaign.
The state’s case is based on wiretaps of conversations between Herzog and Sarkozy, with prosecutors accusing him of “using secret telephone lines” to cover up his attempt to infiltrate the court. –