The defense pleadings began Wednesday, December 9 at the trial for corruption and influence peddling of former President Nicolas Sarkozy in the so-called "
wiretapping
" case, the day after the financial prosecution's requisitions, which requested four years in prison including two farms against the former head of state.
To read also: Case of "tapping": 4 years in prison, including 2 suspended sentences, required against Nicolas Sarkozy
The lawyer for the former tenant of the Élysée, Me Jacqueline Laffont, began her argument when the hearing resumed at 3:00 p.m., opening the ball for the defense before the advice of the former high magistrate Gilbert Azibert and those of the criminal lawyer Thierry Herzog.
"
What we expect here before you today at the end of this long judicial journey, is simple justice, strong justice, free justice, courageous justice, beyond any form of pressure
", a- she launched.
“
The one who seeks judicial truth, who delivers the necessary decision.
The one who will relax Nicolas Sarkozy,
”she continued.
During requisitions, “
I waited for answers, demonstrations, in vain.
(...) The fall was as severe as their demonstration was weak.
However, severity has never created proof,
”she insisted.
In the room, many black dresses as well as relatives of the former president, in particular his wife, singer Carla Bruni, present for the first time since the start of the trial.
Tuesday, at the end of a methodical indictment backed by tables and transcripts projected on a screen, the two representatives of the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) demanded imprisonment against Nicolas Sarkozy.
The prosecution requested the same penalties for the former high magistrate Gilbert Azibert and for Thierry Herzog, historical lawyer of the former president, with for the latter five years of professional ban.
Describing the "
devastating effects of this affair which hits the values of the Republic
", the financial magistrates considered that it had "
damaged
" the judicial institution, the legal profession and the presidential image.
According to them, Nicolas Sarkozy indeed obtained in 2014, via his lawyer, information covered by secrecy from the high magistrate Gilbert Azibert, about an appeal to the Court of Cassation, that the former president had filed in the Bettencourt case.
At the heart of their demonstration: conversations intercepted by justice on an unofficial line, opened by Thierry Herzog under the name of "
Paul Bismuth
", to discuss with his client, in complete confidentiality, they believed.
This secret line had been discovered by the magistrates within the framework of the investigations into the suspicions of Libyan financing of the presidential campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007, a file which is worth to him today a quadruple indictment.
Pleadings are scheduled to continue until Thursday evening, then the decision will be reserved.
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