Nicolas Sarkozy prison: Small cell with TV – How French ex-president fit spend im time for jail

Play video, “Watch: A ‘big moment’ for France as Sarkozy jailed”, Duration 1,1401:14Wetin we call dis Video, Watch: Supporters cheer Sarkozy as e embrace im wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy outside dia Paris homeArticle Information

• • Author, Paul Kirby
  • Role, Europe digital editor
  • Author, Hugh Schofield
  • Role, in Paris

• 37 minutes wey don pass

Nicolas Sarkozy don become di first French ex-president to go to jail, as e begin one five-year sentence for conspiring to fund im election campaign wit money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Since World War Two wen dem jail Nazi collaborationist leader Philippe Pétain for treason for 1945, dem never jail any French ex-leader.

Sarkozy, serve as president from 2007-2012, e don appeal against im jail term for La Santé prison, wia e go occupy small cell for di isolation wing.

More dan 100 pipo clap and shout “Nicolas!” as im dey leave im villa in di exclusive 16th district of Paris, e dey hold im wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy for hand.

Im son Louis, 28, praise im supporters for show of support, while anoda son, Pierre, call for message of love – “nothing else, please”.

Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, enta di entrance of di notoriously overcrowded 19th-Century prison for di Montparnasse district south of di River Seine at 09:40 local time (07:40 GMT), while dozens of police officers block most of di surrounding streets.

E continue to protest say im dey innocent in di highly controversial Libyan money affair and post di message on X as dem dey drive am to di jail, e tok say: “I no get any doubt. Truth go prevail. But how crushing di price for don be.”

“Wit unwavering strength I tell [di French pipo] no be former president dem wan lock up dis morning – na innocent man,” e write. “No feel sorry for me becos my wife and my children dey by my side… but dis morning I feel deep sorrow for France, humiliated by di will for revenge.”

Moments afta Sarkozy enta jail, im lawyer Christophe Ingrain tok say dem don file request for im release. Nothing justify im imprisonment, Mr Ingrain, add: “E go dey inside for at least three weeks or one month.”

Sarkozy tok say im no want special treatment for La Santé prison, although dem don put am in isolation section for im own safety as oda inmates na ogbonge drugs dealers or pipo dem convict for terror offences.

Wia dis foto come from, EPA

Wetin we call dis foto, Nicolas Sarkozy and im wife, Carla Bruni, greet pipo on di day e enta prison

Small cell wit TV, and one hour daily exercise

Sarkozy cell for di prison isolation wing na di top floor and e go measure between 9-11 sq m (95-120 sq ft). Rumours bin spread say im go serve im term for anoda wing for “vulnerable pipo”, wia oda VIPs don stay for jail in di past.

E get toilet, shower, desk, small electric hob and small TV, e go pay di fees of €14 (£12) monthly, to access dem and di small fridge.

Di former president still get di right to receive information from di outside world and family visits as well as written and phone contact.

But e dey for solitary confinement, e dey allowed to just one hour per day for exercise, by imself for di wing segregated courtyard.

“Conditions of detention na isolation wing, e dey very hard,” La Santé ex-deputy head Flavie Rault tell BFMTV. “You go dey alone, all di time. Di only contact you go get na wit prison staff. You no go come across anoda detainee for security reasons and e get type of social isolation wey go make life difficult”.

At di end of last week, Sarkozy bin dey received for di Élysée Palace by President Emmanuel Macron, wey tell reporters on Monday “e dey normal say on a human level I go receive one of my predecessors in dat context”..

Macron stress on Tuesday say no be im role “to comment on or criticise judicial decisions”, but e tok say e dey normal say for many for France, di sight of “di president jailed by dis judicial decision go provoke comment”.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin tok say e go visit di former president for prison as part of im role in ensuring Sarkozy safety and di proper functioning of di jail.

“I no fit dey insensitive to di man distress,” e add.

Wia dis foto come from, Reuters

Wetin we call dis foto, Nicolas Sarkozy maintain say im dey innocence and e don lodge appeal

Ever since e don leave office for 2012, Sarkozy for months don dey wear electronic tag around im ankle afta one conviction last December for trying to bribe one magistrate for confidential information about im separate case.

Late next month, France highest administrative court go give im verdict on Sarkozy appeal against a six-month jail term for anoda illegal campaign financing case wey be di Bygmalion affair.

Ahead of im arrival for La Santé prison, Sarkozy give series of media interviews, e tell La Tribune: “I no dey afraid of prison. I go keep my head high, including at di prison gates.”

Sarkozy dey always deny say im do anything wrong in di case involving allegations say im 2007 presidential campaign, na Libyan millions of euros fund am.

Di former centre-right leader dey cleared of personally receiving di money but convicted of criminal association wit two close aides, Brice Hortefeux and Claude Guéant, for dia role in secret campaign financing from di Libyans.

Di two men both talk with Gadaffi intelligence chief and brother-in-law for 2005, meeting wey dey arranged by one Franco-Lebanese intermediary called Ziad Tiakeddine, wey die for Lebanon shortly before Sarkozy conviction.

As e lodge im appeal, Sarkozy still dey considered innocent but dem don tell am say e must go jail in view of di “exceptional seriousness of di facts”.

Sarkozy say e go take two books with am to prison, a life of Jesus by Jean-Christian Petitfils and the Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas classic story of one man wey dem wrongly imprisoned wey escape to revenge on im prosecutors.