Nicolas Sarkozy Formally Under Investigation

Photo from Ukrinform–UATV

Former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been formally put under investigation on suspicion of receiving illegal funding for his 2007 presidential election campaign, from the former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.

According to the Yevropeiska pravda, being under formal investigation in France means that sufficient evidence has been found against the suspect, so Sarkozy may be brought to trial.

Sarkozy had been detained since March 20, but was released yesterday night after two days of interrogation at the Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial Violations in Nanterre, Paris. He denies all the accusations against him and insists that they are not backed by any real evidence.

Sarkozy released a statement that was published in Le Figaro, that said that his military campaign against the Gaddafi regime, shows that no money from the former dictator was accepted by him.

The police launched an investigation into the alleged misuse of power, forgery, abuse of public money, and money laundering.

The allegations against Sarkozy were made by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late Gaddafi, in 2011.  He has said that he is ready to provide evidence against Sarkozy.

The French investigations were prompted by the French news website, Mediapart’s publication, which wrote about the accusations made by a French-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who said that he transferred 5 million euros to Sarkozy’s former chief-of-staff, Claude Guéant, from Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief.