France’s former president, Nicolas Sarkozy was onMonday, March 1 found guilty of corruption and influence-peddling and sentencedto three years in prison with two of them suspended.
The 66-year-old, who was president from 2007 to 2012 was accused of forging a“corruption pact” with his lawyer and a senior magistrate. Judges said therewas “serious evidence” of collaboration between the three men to break the law.
The case dates back to2014 after investigators from the newly-created Parquet National Financier(National Financial Prosecutor’s Office) tapped Sarkozy and his lawyer, ThierryHerzog’s phones over allegations the former president had illegally receivedmillions of euros from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to fund hissuccessful 2007 presidential campaign.
Phone conversationsrecorded between Sarkozy and Herzog made investigators suspect the formerFrench leader had offered to use his contacts to get the judge Azibert acoveted position in Monaco, in exchange for information about the investigationinto the Bettencourt case.
On January 30, 2014,Herzog told Sarkozy of an exchange he’s had with “Gilbert”, a highmagistrate not instructing his case, but who apparently “had access”to confidential documents, according to AFP.
Two days later, Sarkozy demanded his lawyer call him back on a phone line hehad under an assumed name, Paul Bismuth, because he suspected his officialnumber was being tapped.
A few days later, Herzogreiterated that Azibert was optimistic about Sarkozy’s prospect over theBettencourt case. He mentioned that Azibert was interested in a high-rankingposition in Monaco to which Sarkozy replied: “I’ll help him”.
Herzog added thatAzibert had told him he did not dare ask for “a helping hand” andthat he had replied: “You’re kidding, with what you’re doing…”
Later in the month, asSarkozy is preparing to travel to Monaco, Herzog reportedly reminded him“to say a word for Gilbert” if possible.
Sarkozy assured him hewould “take the necessary steps”, AFP reported but two days later, onhis official line, says that he did not put in a word because “it bothersme to ask for something” of the Monegascan Minister of State whom he doesnot know very well.
Investigators believethe turnaround can be explained by the fact the two men had then just learnttheir unofficial line was also tapped. Sarkozy refutes this.
On March 3, during aphone call with Azibert, Herzog said that “the necessary steps were takenin Monaco”. “I’ll tell you in person”, he also said.
“We were forced tosay certain things on the phone,” he added, “because we learnt somethings.”
However, it’s unlikelythe former president will spend a day in jail. The one-year prison sentence canbe served with certain conditions, including the wearing of an electronicbracelet, or limited home confinement.
Sarkozy is expected toappeal against the conviction.
His lawyer, ThierryHerzog, and the senior judge, Gilbert Azibert, also denied wrongdoing. But Bothwere handed the same sentence as Sarkozy. Herzog, who was also slapped with afive-year professional ban, has appealed the ruling.
Prosecutors hadrequested two years of prison and a two-year suspended sentence for all threedefendants over what they said was a “corruption pact.”
“No pact has everexisted,” Sarkozy told the court. “Neither in my head nor in
reality.” “I want to be cleared of that infamy,” he added.