Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced on the 25th (local time) to five years in prison in the first trial on charges that he received illegal funds from dictator Muammar Gaddafi during the 2007 presidential election.
In its sentencing hearing, the Paris criminal court acquitted former President Sarkozy of the core charge that he received illegal funds from Gaddafi. The court acknowledged that "there was an inflow of funds from Libya to France in 2006," but ruled that the flow of "opaque funds" alone was insufficient evidence to prove that this money was used for Sarkozy's 2007 campaign.
However, the court found Sarkozy guilty of "criminal conspiracy," concluding that, while serving as party leader at the time, he allowed his close associates and political supporters to approach the Libyan authorities to raise funds for the presidential race.
The court added that Sarkozy's conduct was "a serious criminal act that undermined citizens' trust," and sentenced him to five years in prison, a fine of €100,000 (about 160 million won), and a five-year disqualification from running for office. The court imposed the five-year prison term as an actual sentence but ordered that the writ of execution be carried out at a later date.
Sarkozy, who ran in the 2007 presidential election, was indicted on suspicion that around 2005 he struck a "corruption pact" with Gaddafi (who died in 2011), under which the Libyan regime would provide €50 million (about 7 billion won) in illegal political funds for his campaign in exchange for industrial and diplomatic benefits.
In March, prosecutors asked the court to impose a seven-year prison term, a €300,000 (about 470 million won) fine, and a five-year disqualification from running for office on former President Sarkozy.