Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy briefly appeared in court on Monday to face trial on corruption accusations before judges suspended the hearings until November 26 to assess the health of one of his co-defendants.
Prosecutors allege Mr Sarkozy offered to secure a plum job in Monaco for judge Gilbert Azibert in return for confidential information about an inquiry into allegations that Mr Sarkozy had accepted illegal payments from the late L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.
He is first French former head of state to appear in the dock and the case risks a humiliating end to a career tainted by legal woes.
Mr Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and is still influential among conservatives, has denied any wrongdoing in all the investigations against him. He and his centre-right party Les Republicains, say the allegations are politically motivated.
Arriving through a back entrance wearing a dark suit and mask, Mr Sarkozy confirmed his name and occupation as former president and lawyer.
The judges then considered a request by Mr Azibert's lawyer to suspend the trial because his client, who was not in court, was at high risk of contracting Covid-19 given that he has a long-term heart condition.
The judges ordered an independent medical assessment by Thursday before deciding whether to go ahead with the trial by videoconference or to postpone it until after the pandemic.
Investigators had from 2013 been wiretapping conversations between Mr Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog as they delved into allegations of Libyan financing in the former president's 2007 campaign.
Prosecutors said wiretaps showed that Mr Sarkozy and his lawyer had on several occasions discussed contacting Mr Azibert, a magistrate at the Cour de Cassation, France's top appeals court for criminal cases, and well informed on the Bettencourt inquiry.
They allege that Mr Sarkozy offered to help Mr Azibert get the Monaco job in return for insider help. Mr Sarkozy told BFM TV this month Mr Azibert did not land the position.
Mr Herzog and Mr Azibert are both on trial with Mr Sarkozy, charged with corruption and influence-peddling. They are also accused of "violating professional secrecy". They deny any wrongdoing.
All three face up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines if convicted.
Next March, Mr Sarkozy is due in court on accusations of breaching campaign-financing rules during his failed 2012 re-election attempt.
The so-called Bygmalion case centres on accusations that Mr Sarkozy's party worked with a public relations company to hide the true cost of his campaign.
Prosecutors are still investigating allegations that Libya's late former leader Muammar Gaddafi provided Mr Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign with millions of euros shipped to Paris in suitcases – allegations that the former president denies. His main accuser, a French-Lebanese businessman, withdrew his account of events this month.
Only one other president, Mr Sarkozy's political mentor Jacques Chirac, has faced trial after leaving office. He was convicted, but because of ill health did not appear in court.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The years Ramadan fell in May
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
New schools in Dubai
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
More from Aya Iskandarani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
