*Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy bags five years in jail for criminal conspiracy, for his role in a scheme to finance his 2007 presidential鈥�campaign with funds鈥�from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday, October 21, 2025, entered a prison in Paris, French capital, on the first day of a five-year sentence.

绿帽献妻 gathered the development marked the first time a former leader of modern France would spend time behind bars.

Sarkozy was chauffeur-driven to the prison complex Tuesday morning, waving to his supporters as he left his house.

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The car driving him was surrounded by dozens of police motorbikes and vehicles, making its way to La Sant茅 Prison in southern Paris.

Sarkozy鈥檚 conviction for criminal conspiracy

Report indicated Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in jail for criminal conspiracy September this year, for his role in a scheme to finance his 2007 presidential鈥痗ampaign with funds鈥痜rom Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours.

The former president, who left office 2012, however, has appealed his conviction.

Still, in the meantime, he is expected to occupy a cell either in solitary confinement or in the so-called 鈥淰IP wing鈥� of La Sant茅 prison complex, report said.

It is noted that the wing is usually reserved for prisoners who are considered unsuitable to be kept among the prison鈥檚 general population, usually out of fears for their safety.

They could be politicians, former police officers, members of far-right organizations or those tied to Islamist terror groups, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy looks on as he leaves after the verdict in his trial for illegal campaign financing from Libya for his successful 2007 presidential bid, at the Tribunal de Paris courthouse in Paris, on September 25, 2025.

A Paris court September 25, 2025, had sentenced former French President Sarkozy to five years.

The court also ordered him to go to prison after finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy over accusations the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi helped him to fund his victorious 2007 Presidential Election.

The court ordered that Sarkozy should be placed in custody at a later date, with prosecutors given a month to inform the former head of state when he should go to prison.

What awaits ex-French President behind bars

Notable previous inmates

Cells in the wing are fitted with a metal bed and mattress, a small desk, a fridge, a cooking hob, a television, a shower, toilet and sink, and a fixed telephone line allowing prisoners to call certain authorised numbers, according to report.

Previous inmates include Manuel Noriega, the former dictator of Panama who was held there, following his extradition from the United States (US) after the American invasion that deposed him.

Similarly, Venezuelan terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as 鈥淐arlos the Jackal,鈥� spent time in the prison, as did Jacques Mesrine, a notorious 1970s murderer and bank robber, whose criminal career was portrayed in a 2008 film starring Vincent Cassel.

Still, Mesrine famously escaped from La Sant茅 while dressed as a prison guard alongside fellow criminal Fran莽ois Besse, according to French public broadcaster France Info, report said.

Marco Mouly, a former prisoner in the prison鈥檚 VIP wing told BFMTV in a 2022 documentary that the prison is 鈥渁lright,鈥� comparing it to a popular European budget hotel chain.

Another former inmate, Didier Schuller, told BFMTV that 鈥渢he problem is the noise鈥� At night, you鈥檙e woken up by people shouting.鈥�

Sarkozy insists 鈥業’m an innocent man鈥�

Meanwhile, in a statement posted to X shortly after the car carrying him set off for prison, Sarkozy stressed that he is an 鈥渋nnocent man鈥�.

The ex-French leader wrote: 鈥淎s I prepare to step inside the walls of La Sant茅 prison, my thoughts go out to the French people of all walks of life and opinions.

鈥淚 want to tell them with my unwavering strength that it鈥檚 not a former president of the Republic being locked up this morning, it鈥檚 an innocent man.”

He equally stated that he would 鈥渃ontinue to denounce this judicial scandal鈥�.

Sarkozy, however, said that he is 鈥渘ot to be pitied because my wife and children are by my side, and my friends are countless.鈥�

Earlier, on Tuesday morning, Sarkozy had said he felt 鈥渁 deep sorrow for France, which finds itself humiliated by the expression of a vengeance that has taken hatred to an unprecedented level,鈥� report noted.9

Sarkozy鈥檚 legal team has requested that he is granted an early release from jail, Christophe Ingrain, one of the lawyers, told BFMTV Tuesday morning.

The court has two months to decide whether or not to grant this request, according to report.

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