KEBBI GOVT DONATES 10 HILUX VEHICLES TO BOOST SECURITY ON SOKOTO–BADAGRY SUPER HIGHWAY. (PHOTOS).
A Paris court sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison Thursday for criminal conspiracy related to accepting campaign funds from former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Sarkozy was acquitted of other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. Judge Nathalie Gavarino also imposed a nearly $117,000 fine and a five-year ban from attending public functions. Even if Sarkozy appeals, he could be sent to prison within days, potentially making him the first former French president to be incarcerated.
Prosecutors said that during his 2007–2012 presidency, Sarkozy received millions from Gadhafi in exchange for attempts to restore his standing with Western leaders. Gadhafi, who was killed in 2011, was internationally condemned for supporting terrorism, including the bombings of Pan Am Flight 103 and UTA Flight 772.
Sarkozy called the case politically motivated, saying, "What happened today … is of extreme gravity in regard to the rule of law and for the trust one can have in the justice system. If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high."
The former president has faced legal troubles before, including a 2021 conviction for exceeding the legal spending limit in his 2012 re-election campaign.
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