Paris (AFP)
Nicolas Sarkozy, whose trial for "corruption" in the so-called "wiretapping" affair has just been set for October 5 to 22, saw his political retirement under judicial pressure.
The former President of the Republic must also be tried for his excessive 2012 campaign expenses revealed by the Bygmalion case, and he is indicted in the investigation into accusations of Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign.
- Confirmed trials -
- "Listening": Nicolas Sarkozy is suspected of having tried, with his lawyer Thierry Herzog, to obtain from a high magistrate, Gilbert Azibert, information covered by secrecy in legal proceedings.
After the rejection of several appeals, the Court of Cassation finally validated in June 2019 the dismissal of the three men. Wednesday, the correctional court of Paris fixed their trial from October 5 to 22.
Nicolas Sarkozy had been indicted in July 2014 in this case. After validation, in March 2016 by the Court of Cassation, of the wiretapping between his lawyer and him, the examining magistrates had ordered the holding of this trial in March 2018 for "corruption and trading in influence", as the had requested the National Financial Prosecutor's Office.
- The 2012 campaign accounts: Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted in February 2016 for illegal financing of his 2012 presidential campaign, as part of the Bygmalion case. It is not implicated for the system of false invoices at the heart of fraud.
One of the two examining magistrates responsible for the investigation ordered on February 3, 2017 the correctional of fourteen protagonists of the whole case, including Mr. Sarkozy for exceeding the limit of campaign expenses.
On October 25, 2018, the Court of Appeal confirmed the magistrate's decision. After the rejection of an appeal by the Constitutional Council on May 17, 2019, the Court of Cassation definitively validated, on October 1, the referral to the correctional system of the former Head of State, and dismissed seven other appeals. The trial date is to be set in the coming months.
- Indictment -
Charges of Libyan funding for the 2007 campaign: judges have been investigating since April 2013 these charges, made through Ziad Takieddine and former Libyan dignitaries. Mr. Sarkozy is indicted on March 21, 2018 for "passive corruption, illegal financing of electoral campaign and concealment of Libyan public funds". The former secretary general of the Elysée Claude Guéant and the former treasurer of the campaign Eric Woerth were also indicted.
The Paris Court of Appeal is to examine several March 19 actions to set aside the investigation.
- In progress -
A search conducted at the end of 2017 at a Parisian antique dealer uncovered a regular use by Nicolas Sarkozy of liquid in large denominations, leading to the opening of an investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF).
- Excluded -
Nicolas Sarkozy has been dismissed in several other cases: his trips by private jet billed to the company Lov Group by his friend Stéphane Courbit; the investigation into his penalties paid by the UMP for exceeding his campaign spending ceiling in 2012 or the case of donations granted to the UMP by the wealthy heiress of the L'Oréal group Liliane Bettencourt (deceased in 2017 ).
In the case of the overcharged polls ordered by the Elysée Palace, a trial is planned soon for the former secretary general of the presidency Claude Guéant and ex-relatives of Nicolas Sarkozy, the latter being covered by his presidential immunity.
© 2020 AFP