Corruption: Ex-French President Sarkozy Makes History as First Former Head of EU Nation Sent to Jail
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that the former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has made history as the first former head of an EU nation to be sent to jail, declaring his innocence as he entered La Santé Prison in Paris on Tuesday.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the 70-year-old, who governed France between 2007 and 2012, was convicted last month of criminal conspiracy for allegedly soliciting campaign funds from the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, during his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy, who has appealed the ruling, was escorted by police from his home to the prison as onlookers watched.
From within the prison walls, inmates reportedly shouted, “Welcome, Sarkozy!”
In a defiant message shared on social media shortly before his incarceration, the former president maintained his innocence, writing, “It is not a former president who is going to prison today, but an innocent man. I have no doubt — the truth will prevail.”
OTN News recalls that Sarkozy was sentenced in September to five years in prison. As he left his Paris residence, supporters and family members gathered outside, waving portraits and chanting “Free Nicolas!” while his wife, singer Carla Bruni, accompanied him hand in hand.
Some supporters sang the French national anthem as neighbours looked on.
His lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, confirmed that a request for Sarkozy’s release had been filed immediately.
However, he noted that while the appeal process could take up to two months, Sarkozy is expected to remain behind bars for at least three weeks.
Sarkozy’s imprisonment marks the first time a French leader has been jailed since World War II collaborator Philippe Pétain.
Speaking to Le Figaro earlier, Sarkozy said he would take two books with him — a biography of Jesus and The Count of Monte Cristo, the story of an innocent man wrongfully imprisoned.
Sources revealed that Sarkozy is being held in a nine-square-metre cell under solitary confinement to prevent contact with other inmates.
He will be allowed short outdoor walks and up to three visits a week.
The former president’s legal troubles extend beyond this case. He has been convicted twice before — once for corruption, for which he served under house arrest, and another for illegal campaign financing, with that appeal still pending.
Prosecutors in the Libyan funding case alleged that Sarkozy’s aides struck a deal with Gaddafi in 2005 to fund his 2007 campaign in exchange for political favours aimed at rehabilitating Libya’s international image.
While the court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy, he was acquitted of embezzlement and corruption charges.
Despite his conviction, Sarkozy continues to enjoy strong support among France’s right-wing politicians. President Emmanuel Macron, who reportedly met with him recently, described the visit as “a human gesture toward a predecessor in a difficult moment.”
Meanwhile, opinion polls indicate that six in ten French citizens consider the verdict fair, underscoring deep divisions over a case that has become one of the most dramatic episodes in modern French political history
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