French prosecutors are expected on Wednesday to announce the penalties they will seek against former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and nine other defendants in the long-running case concerning alleged Libyan financing of Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign.
The announcement follows three days of hearings before the Paris Court of Appeal in one of France’s most controversial political and financial cases in recent years.
According to Agence France-Presse, a team of three prosecutors is expected to present its final sentencing demands later on Wednesday after reviewing the remaining aspects of the complex case.
A final ruling in the appeal trial is expected on 30 November.
As in the initial proceedings, prosecutors have urged judges to convict Sarkozy on multiple charges, including corruption and illegal campaign financing linked to the 2007 presidential election. Sarkozy had previously been cleared of some of those allegations during earlier judicial stages.
Last year, prosecutors from France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office requested a “deterrent” seven-year prison sentence for Sarkozy, now aged 71, who continues to deny all wrongdoing.
Investigators allege that Sarkozy, alongside former senior officials Brice Hortefeux and Claude Gueant, entered into a corruption agreement with the government of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The accusations include claims that Libyan funds were secretly channelled through accounts linked to late Franco-Lebanese intermediary Ziad Takieddine to finance Sarkozy’s election campaign in exchange for political favours.
Sarkozy is also appealing a previous conviction that resulted in a five-year prison sentence on conspiracy-related charges. He spent 20 days in custody before being released under judicial supervision pending the appeal process.
Appeal hearings, which began in March, reportedly exposed growing divisions among the defendants after Sarkozy questioned the integrity of Claude Gueant, who was absent from proceedings due to health reasons.