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Sarkozy tells court 'not a cent' of Libyan money in campaign funds / Photo: © AFP
NYSE - LSE
Sarkozy tells court 'not a cent' of Libyan money in campaign funds
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, on trial charged with accepting illegal campaign financing, told a court Thursday he had never accepted any money from the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
"You will never ever find a single euro, a single Libyan cent in my campaign" funds, Sarkozy told the Paris court.
"I have always assumed my responsibilities and I intend to do so during these four months of hearings."
Twelve suspects are standing trial, including former close aides, accused of devising a pact with Kadhafi to illegally fund Sarkozy's victorious 2007 presidential election bid.
They deny the charges.
Sarkozy was the first to take the floor for his opening remarks. He referred to "10 years of slander, 48 hours in police custody, 60 hours of questioning, and 10 years of investigation".
"What have we found?" the former French president said. "Nothing, as far as I am concerned."
"There's plenty to be angry about," he added.
"There is no corruption money because there was no corruption of the candidate."
If convicted, Sarkozy, 69, faces up to 10 years in prison for charges of concealing embezzlement of public funds and illegal campaign financing.
The trial is due to last until April 10.
Sarkozy's career has been shadowed by legal troubles since he lost the 2012 presidential election.
The new trial started barely half a month after France's top appeals court in December rejected his appeal against a one-year prison sentence for influence peddling, which he is to serve by wearing an electronic tag rather than spending time in jail.
A. Madsen--BTZ
