French prosecutors are demanding that former President Nicolas Sarkozy be held accountable on suspicion of witness tampering. This is another twist in the scandalous case of illegal financing of his election campaign by the Muammar Gaddafi regime. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office officially requested on Tuesday to initiate legal proceedings against Sarkozy, his wife Carla Bruni, and several other individuals. They are accused of conspiring to persuade a key witness to retract incriminating testimony against the former president. The final decision on whether to proceed with a trial rests with the investigating judge.
Context and previous convictions
The investigation believes that Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign was secretly financed by Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The politician's downfall culminated in October of this year when he was imprisoned in the Libyan funds case, but he was released after 20 days in La Santé prison at the request of his lawyers. It should be noted that the ex-president had already been convicted in two other cases, and both of these decisions have already entered into force.
Chronology of events and defense reaction
The appeal against the main verdict regarding Libyan financing is scheduled to begin in mid-March. The new investigation into witness tampering could significantly complicate Sarkozy's defense, as a group of individuals allegedly tried to "whitewash" the politician's reputation by pressuring witnesses. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, Sarkozy continues to deny any wrongdoing. Currently, his defenders and Carla Bruni's lawyers refuse to comment on the new conspiracy case.
Recall
In September, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison with a suspended sentence.
The ex-president's lawyers filed a petition for parole, Sarkozy's supporters gathered near the prison, and the politician himself began writing a book during his imprisonment.
Later, Sarkozy was provided with round-the-clock security in prison due to threats.
On October 10, the Paris Court of Appeal granted the request for the release of Sarkozy, who had been in La Santé prison since October 21.