On Friday, France’s financial prosecutor said that Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president will be facing trial on charges of corruption and illegally receiving campaign funding from abroad.
These charges relate to his contested 2007 bid for President in France, allegedly financed by Libya.
French financial prosecutor Jean-Francois Bohnert said that Mr Sarkozy, who served as president until 2012, would have to be answerable to accusations of unlawful campaign funding, “passive corruption” and use of embezzled funds.
In the case, twelve other suspects were also ordered to face trial.
While the investigative judges in charge of the probe issued the order on Thursday, Mr Bohnert stated that the trial is expected to take place only in January 2025.
Next year, the first hearing for the case will be held on March 7.
The accusations have been denied by Mr Sarkozy.
He failed in an attempt to overturn a criminal conviction In May
A three year prison sentence for corruption and favour peddling against President Sarkozy, two of them suspended, was upheld by France’s Appeal Court..
The combination of a suspended sentence and a year of wearing electronic bracelet means that Mr Sarkozy will remain out of prison.