Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy appeared in court today, Monday, on two charges of attempting to bribe a judge and influence peddling in a phone-tapping scandal.
French media quoted the prosecution team as saying, Sarkozy offered Judge Gilbert Azibert to obtain a prestigious job in Monaco Principality in exchange for classified information about an investigation into allegations that Sarkozy accepted money from L'Oréal's heir, Lillian Bettencourt, for his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy denied any commission of violations in all investigations against him.
Since 2013, the investigators have monitored the phone calls between Sarkozy and his lawyer during their investigation into allegations of Libyan funding in Sarkozy's campaign in 2007.
During that investigation, the prosecutors learned that "Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Hertzog were communicating using cell phones registered with pseudonyms.
Sarkozy and his party, which has been the center-right for years, consider that the investigations against the former president are politically motivated.
The newspaper "L' Union" said, "It is the first time since the end of World War II (WWII) that a French president has appeared before justice on charges of corruption.
The newspaper stressed that" Sarkozy will not be tried alone, but his friend and lawyer Thierry Herzog and former judge Gilbert Azberg will appear with him in court. "
The prosecution office in charge of financial crimes in France placed former President Nicolas Sarkozy under investigation on charges of "criminal acts" due to receiving funds from the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his electoral campaign.
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