December 8th local time, the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office made sentencing statements on the case of former President Sarkozy’s suspected of “active corruption” and “transaction of influence”. The prosecution asked the court to sentence Sarkozy to four years’ imprisonment and a two-year suspension of execution.
The case began on November 23 at the Paris Misdemeanor Court. Sarkozy was charged with illegal financial support from the late L’Oreal Group successor Liliana Bedangu in the 2007 presidential election. Later, he was accused of promising a prosecutor named Gilbert Azibert to seek a position in Monaco in exchange for inside information from the French Supreme Court related to the case and exert influence on the investigation.
Sarkozy made his first voice in the court hearing on the afternoon of December 7th local time. He insisted that he had done nothing corrupt and hoped to clear the stigma through the trial. It is reported that the trial will end on the evening of December 10.
