Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Sentenced to Jail for Illegally Financing Election

• Again, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced two one year in prison over electoral malpractice
• The former leader was found guilty of spending beyond the amount permitted for a campaign in 2012
• In a separate trial, Sarkozy had earlier being found guilty of attempted bribery and sentenced to prison, a verdict he has appealed

Paris, France - Nicolas Sarkozy, a former president of France, has been sentenced to a one-year jail term after he was found guilty by a court in Paris of illegally financing his failed re-election bid in 2012.

The UK Guardian reported that Ex-President Sarkozy who was not in court for the verdict has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the historic judgment.

Briefly News gathers that the court gave the former president the option of serving the jail term at home and under electronic surveillance.

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Sarkozy accused of unlawful campaign financing

According to the prosecutors, the former French president spent almost twice the maximum permitted amount of €22.5m on the campaign.

Sarkozy had earlier defended himself by claiming that he was not involved in the logistics of the campaign or in how money was spent.

The court, however, said the former president had been made aware of the overspending and it was not necessary for him to have approved each individual payment to be responsible.

Despite the conviction, Reuters stated that Sarkozy is unlikely to go to jail as he will appeal the sentence.

Sarkozy earlier sentenced

Meanwhile, Briefly News gathers Sarkozy was earlier found guilty in a separate trial of trying to bribe a judge.

The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial, two of which were suspended.

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However, it was gathered that he has not actually spent time in prison yet as he has filed an appeal.

Social media users react to verdict

The report of Sarkozy's sentencing has generated reactions from users on social media.

Mustapha Lawal said:

"We want that judgment too in my country."

Idris Mohammed said:

"A Nation guided by true honour and integrity unlike..."

Irene Ekundayo Imanah said:

"Can’t happen in Nigeria instead they are the advisers from their house place on a large retirement budgets.

IK Ikechukwu said:

"Impossible in Nigeria no matter what he did. The only a country can move forward is if the law is active and working."

Ex-US president and his 2 sons could face jail term

Meanwhile, former US president Donald Trump has been warned that he could face a jail term after the New York Attorney General’s Office announced an investigation into the Trump Organisation.

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A letter written by the New York Attorney General’s Office said that the investigation was no longer "purely civil in nature."

Former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal said that the letter announcing the investigation carried the real threat of jail time for Trump and his sons. He said that the letter indicated that the prosecutors believe that their case has a strong chance of success and that they believe that they can prove that the Trump Organisation committed various crimes.

Source: Briefly News