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Status: 01.03.2021 3:31 pm
In 2014 he tried to obtain information illegally through bribes: former French President Sarkozy has been sentenced to prison for corruption. But you probably don’t have to go to jail.
A Paris court sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to three years in prison for corruption, of which two years are suspended. The judges considered it proven that the former head of state had tried to bribe a judicial official. Sarkozy will probably not have to go to prison because the sentence can be served at home under electronic surveillance.
According to the indictment, Sarkozy had promised judicial officer Gilbert Azibert a dream job in Monaco in 2014 in exchange for confidential information about investigations to fund his election campaign. Sarkozy had denied all the allegations and said he was the victim of lies.
The recordings weigh on Sarkozy
The allegations stem from recordings of Sarkozy’s conversations with his lawyer Thierry Herzog after he left the presidency. The conversation was tapped in connection with another illegal payment for his Libyan election campaign. There had been a heated discussion about the legality of these wiretaps. The procedure is considered to be one time only.
The intercepted phone calls convinced investigators that Sarkozy and Herzog would promise judicial officer Azibert a job in Monaco if he relayed information about a legal case involving L’Oréal’s heiress, Liliane Bettencourt. In the latter case, the investigations against Sarkozy were closed.
The court ruled that the events were “particularly serious” because the crimes were committed by a previous president who had taken advantage of his condition. As a former lawyer, Sarkozy was “perfectly informed” about the commission of an illegal act.
Another trial awaits Sarkozy
Besides Sarkozy, Herzog and Azibert were also charged. They received the same sentence as Sarkozy. They also deny any wrongdoing
Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012. He now has ten days to appeal the verdict. After Jacques Chirac, he is the second former French head of state to be convicted of corruption.
In March, Sarkozy has to face another process, along with 13 other people. He is accused of illegally financing his 2012 presidential campaign.
