Published
Video length: 2 min
Bygmalion trial: sentenced to one year in prison, Nicolas Sarkozy appeals to the Court of Cassation
Bygmalion trial: sentenced to one year in prison, Nicolas Sarkozy appeals to the Court of Cassation – (franceinfo)
On Wednesday February 14, Nicolas Sarkozy announced, through his lawyer, that he intended to appeal to the Court of Cassation. Justice sentenced the former president to one year in prison, including six months suspended, in the appeal trial of the Bygmalion affair.
Nicolas Sarkozy left the courtroom on Wednesday February 14 in Paris without making any comment. The former president was sentenced on appeal to one year in prison, six months of which were suspended. An hour later, his defense announced that he was appealing to the Court of Cassation. “The judgment rendered today by the Court of Appeal is highly questionable, (…) the reasoning is completely contradictory”declared Me Vincent Desry, lawyer for Nicolas Sarkozy.
A double billing system
In 2012, his party at the time, the UMP, created a system of false invoices to hide the true expenses of his presidential campaign for re-election. If Nicolas Sarkozy was not indicted for this, the courts criticized him for having continued to hold his meetings, even though he had been warned of the excesses. Facts for which he was sentenced to one year in prison during his trial at first instance three years ago. Jérôme Lavrilleux, former deputy director of the campaign, also tried on appeal, received two years in prison, including 18 months suspended.
