"I have never corrupted anyone," said Monday, December 5, former President Nicolas Sarkozy at the opening of the appeal trial of the so-called "wiretapping" case, in which he is retried with his historical lawyer, Thierry Herzog, and the ex-magistrate Gilbert Azibert.

Black suit and tie on a white shirt, the former head of state, 67, agreed to the usual verifications of his identity and the alleged facts, before confirming that he disputes his guilt and his sentence at first instance "with the greatest force".

Nicolas Sarkozy is suspected of having undertaken, in 2014 and through Me Herzog, to support the candidacy of Gilbert Azibert for a prestigious post in Monaco, in return for interventions concerning a case then examined by the Court of Cassation. .

"When we are innocent, we are indignant"

"I am a former President of the Republic, I have never corrupted anyone and let's admit that it is a strange corruption, without money, not a penny for anyone, without advantage, not a benefit for anyone, and without victim , since no one has been harmed,” he said in a loud voice, in a crowded courtroom.

Resuming the key elements of his defense, he also thundered: "When one is innocent, one is indignant. I come here to defend my honor which has been violated in incredible conditions. I come to convince the court that I did nothing ."

Following him, Me Thierry Herzog more succinctly declared that he wanted the court to be able, at the end of the debates, to "give him back (his) honor" and "save (his) dress".

At first instance, after an electric trial where he denounced "infamy", Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced on March 1, 2021 to three years' imprisonment, including one year, becoming the first head of the State of the Fifth Republic condemned to prison.

>> To read also: "Five questions raised by the conviction of Nicolas Sarkozy"

The same sentence was pronounced against his co-defendants, accompanied for Me Herzog, 67, of a prohibition to practice for five years, suspended by the appeal.

This winding file has its origins in the telephone interceptions of conversations between Nicolas Sarkozy and Me Herzog in early 2014.

At the time, the two phones of the ex-right-wing strongman were "connected" by the judges in charge of the investigation into suspicions of Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign, which today earned him a quadruple indictment.

The investigators then discovered the existence of a third line put into service on January 11, 2014 under the alias "Paul Bismuth" - named after a high school acquaintance of Me Herzog - and dedicated to exchanges between the ex-president and his lawyer and friend.

"Boost" against prestigious position

Over the course of conversations that they believe are hidden from indiscreet ears, according to the prosecution, a pact of corruption takes shape with Gilbert Azibert, general counsel at the Court of Cassation, who would have used his influence against the promise of an intervention for his career.

This 75-year-old senior magistrate, now retired, is accused of having worked behind the scenes to influence a decision that was of great interest to the former head of state.

At the time, the Court of Cassation was seized of an appeal from Nicolas Sarkozy, who wanted to have the seizure of his presidential diaries canceled as part of the investigation for abuse of weakness on the heiress of L'Oréal, Liliane Bettencourt.

Gilbert Azibert is suspected of having had knowledge, upstream, of confidential information and attempted to influence advisers participating in the deliberations.

In exchange, according to the prosecution, for a "boost" for a prestigious position in Monaco.

Finally, Gilbert Azibert will not win the coveted post and the Court of Cassation will reject the appeal of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Whether he intervened with the Monegasque authorities remains debated.

According to the defense, this is proof that these accusations are "fantasy".

On the contrary, the criminal court had considered that the pact of corruption emerged from a "beam of serious, precise and concordant indications".

According to the law, it is not necessary that the consideration has been obtained, nor that the influence be real to characterize corruption or influence peddling.

At the end of the debates before the Court of Appeal, scheduled until December 16, the decision will be reserved for several weeks.

With AFP

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