Former French President Nicolas Sentenced to 5 years in Prison

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday was sentenced to five years in prison after a Paris court found him guilty of conspiring criminally with Libya over illegal election campaign funding.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday was sentenced to five years in prison after a Paris court found him guilty of conspiring criminally with Libya over illegal election campaign funding.

However, in a major surprise, the judge said that Sarkozy will be imprisoned even if he



appeals.

Sarkozy was found guilty on a key charge of acquiring illegal financing from the then-Libyan government of leader Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 presidential campaign.

He reportedly took money from Libya in a criminal association plot from 2005 to 2007 to finance his campaigns in exchange for diplomatic favours.

The Paris court cleared Sarkozy of the three other charges, including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of the embezzlement of public funds, The Associated Press reported.