“Thirteen years, that’s 13 years that we’ve been searching, searching, searching in France, Switzerland, Lebanon, Libya, interviewing, taking people into custody, indicting. Thirteen years that we have been accumulating the volumes, and today there are more than 60.” This is how one of Nicolas Sarkozy’s four counsel, Christophe Ingrain, began his pleading, Wednesday May 27, on the last day of the appeal trial on suspicions of Libyan financing of his victorious 2007 presidential campaign. “Thirteen years that we are seeking by all means, by all forces, to involve Nicolas Sarkozy in this grotesque novel,” continued the lawyer.
According to Christophe Ingriain, there are “hypotheses galore”, and to “fill in the gaps, recourse to this rescue offense which is criminal association”, for which the former President of the Republic was convicted at first instance. At the end of the pleadings of Nicolas Sarkozy’s four lawyers, the decision will be deliberated: it is expected on November 30. Follow our live stream.
Seven years of imprisonment required against Nicolas Sarkozy. On May 13, the public prosecutor’s office called for the former president to be sentenced to seven years in prison, a 300,000 euro fine and five years of ineligibility for criminal conspiracy, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of Libyan public funds and corruption, asking the court “to sanction him commensurate with the seriousness of the facts.” Requisitions similar to those of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office in first instance. A defense weakened by Claude Guéant. After questioning the integrity of his former colleague, unable to appear at this appeal trial for health reasons, Nicolas Sarkozy saw his defense weakened. Claude Guéant produced two certificates which call into question Nicolas Sarkozy’s version. “I have never done anything other than serve the minister as best I could, then the president, follow his instructions,” supported Claude Guéant, ensuring that the former president had put on the table the legal fate of the terrorist Abdallah Senoussi, mastermind of the DC-10 attack committed in 1989, to obtain Libyan public funds to finance his campaign. Sentenced to five years in prison at first instance. Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy following the first trial, but was acquitted of the three other offenses for which he was tried. This conviction led to his incarceration for twenty days at the Santé prison in Paris. His closest collaborators, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, who also appealed, were also convicted.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
