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Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy loses bid to avoid corruption trial
Sarkozy (above) is accused of offering to help a judge win a promotion in Monaco in return for leaked information.PHOTO: AFP
Published
42 min ago
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PARIS (REUTERS) - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday (June 19) lost his final bid to avoid standing trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling, his lawyer said.
Sarkozy is accused of offering to help a judge win a promotion in Monaco in return for leaked information.
The case arose after investigators tapped the phones of Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog to examine allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's successful campaign for the presidency in 2007.
As they eavesdropped on his calls, investigators began to suspect the ex-president had offered judge Gilbert Azibert a promotion in return for information on developments in a parallel investigation into allegations Sarkozy accepted illicit payments from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for the same campaign.
Sarkozy was cleared over the Bettencourt allegations.
His lawyers have previously argued that magistrates looking into the alleged secret Libyan funding exceeded their powers and went on a "fishing expedition" by tapping his conversations with Herzog between September 2013 and March 2014, breaching lawyer-client privilege.
On Wednesday, Sarkozy's defence team said the use of wiretapped remarks gleaned for an investigation into illicit campaign financing to prosecute unrelated charges of corruption contravened a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
"These legal issues are still relevant," Sarkozy lawyer Jacqueline Laffont said. "It will be for the court to decide whether a French court can override a decision of the European Court of Human Rights."
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Wednesday's ruling that the trial should proceed came from the Cour de Cassation, a court which decides whether an earlier decision by an appeals court conforms with French law.
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Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012, losing office to Socialist Francois Hollande when he ran for re-election. He lost presidential immunity from legal prosecution a month after he left office and has since faced a spate of investigations into alleged corruption, fraud, favouritism and campaign-funding irregularities.
The Cour de Cassation also threw out appeals by Herzog and Azibert, who will face trial alongside Sarkozy.
The setback for Sarkozy comes only a month after France's Constitutional Council cleared the way for the former president to be tried over a case related to alleged illegal financing of his failed re-election campaign in 2012.
The so-called "Bygmalion" case against Sarkozy centres on accusations that the former president's political party, then known as the UMP, worked with a friendly public relations firm to hide the true cost of his re-election bid.
France sets strict limits on campaign spending. Prosecutors allege that the PR firm, Bygmalion, invoiced UMP rather than the campaign, allowing Sarkozy to spend almost double the permitted amount.
Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing in the Bygmalion affair and has appealed that case before the Cour de Cassation as well.
Sarkozy would be the first French leader in the dock since Jacques Chirac, who was president from 1995-2007 and was convicted of misusing public funds in 2011. Chirac, now 86, was given a suspended jail term.
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48694683
Nicolas Sarkozy: Former French president loses bid to avoid bribery trial
Image copyright AFP
The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has lost a final bid to halt his prosecution on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Mr Sarkozy is accused of trying to bribe a magistrate by offering a prestigious job in Monaco in return for information about a criminal inquiry into his political party.
France's highest court rejected Mr Sarkozy's appeal, ruling that he must stand trial in the coming months.
The former president denies wrongdoing.
The magistrate he allegedly attempted to bribe, Gilbert Azibert, and Mr Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog also face trial.
The case centres on conversations between Mr Azibert and Mr Herzog, which were taped by investigators looking into claims that Mr Sarkozy accepted illicit payments from the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.
Mr Sarkozy allegedly offered Mr Azibert the job in Monaco in return for information about the case. The investigation also revealed that the former president and his lawyer used mobile phones and fake names to communicate - with Mr Sarkozy going by Paul Bismuth.
Mr Sarkozy has been dogged by allegations of financial impropriety.
Last year he denied that he received campaign funding from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He was taken into custody over the Gaddafi allegations and questioned by specialist investigators.
He has also separately been ordered to stand trial over allegations that his 2012 presidential campaign issued fake invoices to an events company called Bygmalion, in order to conceal €18.5m worth of overspending.
Mr Sarkozy denied the charges, saying that the fraud was committed by executives at Bygmalion - some of whom are also facing trial - and that he was unaware.
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Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy loses bid to avoid corruption trial
Published
42 min ago
Facebook Twitter Email
PARIS (REUTERS) - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday (June 19) lost his final bid to avoid standing trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling, his lawyer said.
Sarkozy is accused of offering to help a judge win a promotion in Monaco in return for leaked information.
The case arose after investigators tapped the phones of Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog to examine allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's successful campaign for the presidency in 2007.
As they eavesdropped on his calls, investigators began to suspect the ex-president had offered judge Gilbert Azibert a promotion in return for information on developments in a parallel investigation into allegations Sarkozy accepted illicit payments from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for the same campaign.
Sarkozy was cleared over the Bettencourt allegations.
His lawyers have previously argued that magistrates looking into the alleged secret Libyan funding exceeded their powers and went on a "fishing expedition" by tapping his conversations with Herzog between September 2013 and March 2014, breaching lawyer-client privilege.
On Wednesday, Sarkozy's defence team said the use of wiretapped remarks gleaned for an investigation into illicit campaign financing to prosecute unrelated charges of corruption contravened a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
"These legal issues are still relevant," Sarkozy lawyer Jacqueline Laffont said. "It will be for the court to decide whether a French court can override a decision of the European Court of Human Rights."
MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS
Wednesday's ruling that the trial should proceed came from the Cour de Cassation, a court which decides whether an earlier decision by an appeals court conforms with French law.
Related Story
France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy to face trial for corruption, influence peddling
Related Story
French court says former president Sarkozy should be tried over campaign funding
Related Story
Britain arrests French suspect in Sarkozy financing probe
Related Story
French ex-president Sarkozy in police custody over alleged election financing by Libya
Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012, losing office to Socialist Francois Hollande when he ran for re-election. He lost presidential immunity from legal prosecution a month after he left office and has since faced a spate of investigations into alleged corruption, fraud, favouritism and campaign-funding irregularities.
The Cour de Cassation also threw out appeals by Herzog and Azibert, who will face trial alongside Sarkozy.
The setback for Sarkozy comes only a month after France's Constitutional Council cleared the way for the former president to be tried over a case related to alleged illegal financing of his failed re-election campaign in 2012.
The so-called "Bygmalion" case against Sarkozy centres on accusations that the former president's political party, then known as the UMP, worked with a friendly public relations firm to hide the true cost of his re-election bid.
France sets strict limits on campaign spending. Prosecutors allege that the PR firm, Bygmalion, invoiced UMP rather than the campaign, allowing Sarkozy to spend almost double the permitted amount.
Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing in the Bygmalion affair and has appealed that case before the Cour de Cassation as well.
Sarkozy would be the first French leader in the dock since Jacques Chirac, who was president from 1995-2007 and was convicted of misusing public funds in 2011. Chirac, now 86, was given a suspended jail term.
Unlock more articles at just $0.99/month
Subscribe to read all the stories you want today. Only $0.99/month for the first 6 months*.
Subscribe Now
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48694683
Nicolas Sarkozy: Former French president loses bid to avoid bribery trial
- 19 June 2019
Image copyright AFP
The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has lost a final bid to halt his prosecution on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Mr Sarkozy is accused of trying to bribe a magistrate by offering a prestigious job in Monaco in return for information about a criminal inquiry into his political party.
France's highest court rejected Mr Sarkozy's appeal, ruling that he must stand trial in the coming months.
The former president denies wrongdoing.
The magistrate he allegedly attempted to bribe, Gilbert Azibert, and Mr Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog also face trial.
The case centres on conversations between Mr Azibert and Mr Herzog, which were taped by investigators looking into claims that Mr Sarkozy accepted illicit payments from the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.
Mr Sarkozy allegedly offered Mr Azibert the job in Monaco in return for information about the case. The investigation also revealed that the former president and his lawyer used mobile phones and fake names to communicate - with Mr Sarkozy going by Paul Bismuth.
Mr Sarkozy has been dogged by allegations of financial impropriety.
Last year he denied that he received campaign funding from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He was taken into custody over the Gaddafi allegations and questioned by specialist investigators.
He has also separately been ordered to stand trial over allegations that his 2012 presidential campaign issued fake invoices to an events company called Bygmalion, in order to conceal €18.5m worth of overspending.
Mr Sarkozy denied the charges, saying that the fraud was committed by executives at Bygmalion - some of whom are also facing trial - and that he was unaware.
Related Topics
Share this story About sharing
