The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) required, this Thursday, March 27, against Nicolas Sarkozy a sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of 300,000 euros, at the trial of suspicions of Libyan funding for the 2007 presidential campaign of the former head of state. Five years of ineligibility have also been required against Nicolas Sarkozy, who welcomed these requisitions the petrified mine.
During the 12 weeks of audience, “it is a very dark picture of a part of our republic which has emerged,” launched the prosecutor Sébastien de la Touanne by approaching the final stretch of the indictment. Taking it to Nicolas Sarkozy, he denounced a “frantic quest for funding” to satisfy a “devouring political ambition”, and warned that “only a prison and firm penalty” will be “able to protect society”, and moreover to “deprive it of certain civil rights”.
Nicolas Sarkozy “challenged the facts” and “does not seem to take the measure of the gravity of the attacks on the probity” which he is accused of, added the magistrate, recalling that he has already been condemned.
Nicolas Sarkozy denounces “the excess of the sentence claimed”
Based that the “fundamental principles of criminal law” have been “flouted for 13 years”, Nicolas Sarkozy, of which it is the fifth trial in five years, estimated that “the falsehood and violence of the accusations and the excess of the sentence claimed” only aimed to “hide the weakness of the alleged charges”. “I will therefore continue to fight foot in the truth, and to believe in the wisdom of the court,” he wrote in a press release published on his social networks, shortly after the statement of requisitions.
Six years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros were required against Claude Guéant, three years in prison and 150,000 euros fine against Brice Hortefeux and a year and 3,750 euros fine against Eric Woerth, campaign treasurer.
After a break, the hearing had resumed shortly after 4 p.m. in the presence of Nicolas Sarkozy, a closed mine, taking notes. He was absent earlier during the day during the part of the indictment concerning annexed components of this file, in particular the possible fictitious sale of Flemish paintings by Claude Guéant and the purchase at an overvalued price of a villa in the south of France which would have made it possible to conceal an embezzlement of Libyan funds.
“Sponsor” of a corruption pact
Tuesday and Wednesday, during already more than 13 hours of requisitions in this abundant dossier, the three representatives of the national financial prosecutor’s office portrayed Nicolas Sarkozy in “real decision-maker” and “sponsor” of a “inconceivable, unhealthy” corruption pact, tied with the former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. “counterparties” diplomatic, legal and economic promised according to them to the Libyan regime and said that “traces” of cash in the victorious campaign fuel the “beam of indices” of the file.
For prosecutors, all the crimes for which he has been tried since January 6 are formed: they have asked the court to recognize him guilty of corruption, concealment of embezzlement of public funds, illegal campaign and association of criminals. Infractions that make the former head of state, 775,000 euros and a deprivation of civil rights (therefore ineligibility) of up to five years.