Former French president Sarkozy detained on corruption charges

It is an exceptional measure that France has taken. Early in the morning, the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had to go to the office of the judicial police specializing in financial offenses and prosecutors to testify about the alleged crimes of influence trafficking and violation of investigation secrecy. Just 24 hours earlier, the same police had arrested his lawyer Thierry Herzog and a Supreme Court justice.

The ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy has come to the police office Nanterre (just outside Paris) around eight in the morning in a car with tinted windows and to the astonishment of the public.

The speed with which the operation is being developed has surprised all political forces, that are knocking on trust in justice. This unprecedented arrest is made in the case of the alleged illegal financing of Sarkozy’s electoral campaign of 2007, which have received financial contributions from the then leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi.

Investigators are trying to determine if the former head of state  created a “network” of informants that kept them abreast of developments in the legal processes that threaten the conservative politician and head of the French state in 2007 and 2012.

The lawyer Thierry Herzog and former judges of the Supreme and Patrick Gilbert and Azibert Sassoust were arrested the day before in the course of the investigation. Suspected Azibert, close to the former counsel, sought information from the Supreme Court of Directors on the progress of the investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing that brought Sarkozy to the Elysee Palace, Efe reported.

The police revealed that Sarkozy was using a secret mobile phone, with the name of one Paul Bismuth, just to talk to his lawyer Herzog, who also had a clandestine phone. The investigations indicate that Herzog had direct line to his friend, Judge Azibert Gilbert, now questioned by the anti-corruption bureau.

Senior members of the UMP (Union for a Popular Movement), Sarkozy’s party, agree to call “cruelty” the case against the former head of the State and indicate the coincidence of the judicial calendar with the political calendar, in a clear reference to the possibility that the political end up deciding in the coming weeks to return to lead the conservative organization.

The socialist government spokesman and Minister of Agriculture, Stéphane Le Foll, said that justice must go all the way and that Sarkozy ” is a justiciable as others.”

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Posted by Shakira Subhani on Jul 2 2014. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.