This Monday in Paris, the trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy begins. He is accused of receiving illegal funding for his election campaign from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Sarkozy, who served as President from 2007 to 2012, is alleged to have received millions of dollars unlawfully from the former Libyan regime to finance his campaign. The former president has consistently denied these accusations.
He is being tried alongside 12 other individuals on charges related to illegal campaign financing, embezzlement of public funds, and corruption.
Among the prominent co-defendants are former Interior Ministers Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, as well as former Labor Minister Éric Woerth.
If convicted, Sarkozy could face up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines. The other defendants could also face similar penalties.
The trial is set to begin at 1:30 PM (12:30 GMT) and is expected to continue until April 10.
As part of its extensive investigations into the Libya case, French authorities have requested legal assistance from 21 countries.
Source: Associated Press (AP).
