French Prosecutors Seek Seven-year Prison Sentence For Sarkozy

PARIS, May 14 (Bernama-dpa) -- Prosecutors in the appeal trial of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy on corruption charges on Wednesday again requested a seven-year prison sentence, matching the penalty sought during the initial trial, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

The Paris prosecutor’s office is also seeking a fine of €300,000 (US$350,000).

Prosecutors accuse Nicolas Sarkozy, 71, of criminal association, bribery, illegal campaign financing and benefiting from the embezzlement of public funds.

The case centres on allegations that Sarkozy accepted campaign financing from Libya. During the appeal proceedings, he again maintained his innocence.

Nicolas Sarkozy told the court that “not a single cent” from Libya had been used to finance his election campaign and denied being influenced by former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In the initial trial, the court found no proof that Sarkozy had actually received money from Gaddafi for his 2007 presidential campaign.

However, it ruled that the conservative politician and several close associates had attempted to secure Libyan funding.

Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted in the initial trial of membership in a criminal organisation and sentenced to five years in prison, spending several weeks behind bars.

The ruling resulted in a harsher sentence than that imposed on any former French head of state in recent history.

Sarkozy’s lawyers have appealed for an acquittal, while the former president has repeatedly denied all allegations against him.

The appeal trial is scheduled to continue until the end of May.

Ten other defendants are also on trial in the appeal proceedings, including former ministers Claude Guéant, Éric Woerth and Brice Hortefeux.

-- BERNAMA-dpa