Convicted ex-President Sarkozy says will 'sleep in prison with head held high'

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday set to become France's first postwar leader to go to prison after a court jailed him for five years over a scheme for the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi to fund his victorious 2007 presidential run.

The court convicted him on charges of criminal conspiracy, although it acquitted him of corruption and personally accepting illegal campaign financing.

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

Even if Sarkozy, 70, appeals the verdict, this measure will remain in force. He will be the first head of state to be jailed since Philippe Petain, the head of France's Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime.

He was also fined 100,000 euros ($117,000) and banned from holding public office. He has been convicted already in two separate trials but always avoided jail, in one case serving his graft sentence with an electronic tag, which has since been removed.

Sarkozy, who was present in court for the verdict accompanied by his model and musician wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, vowed to appeal.

The verdict was "extremely serious for the rule of law", he told reporters after leaving the courtroom, adding that he would appeal the decision and "sleep in prison with my head held high".

Exceptional gravity

The presiding judge, Nathalie Gavarino, said the offences were of "exceptional gravity" and "likely to undermine the confidence of citizens."

The court's ruling however did not follow the conclusion of prosecutors that Sarkozy was the alleged beneficiary of the illegal campaign financing. He was acquitted on separate charges of embezzlement of Libyan public funds, passive corruption and illicit financing of an electoral campaign.

Another defendant in the trial, Alexandre Djouhri, who is accused of being the intermediary in the scheme was sentenced to six years and ordered to be placed immediately under arrest.

Sarkozy's right-hand-man Claude Gueant and ex-minister Brice Hortefeux were ordered to serve six and two years respectively. Hortefeux, 67, will be able to serve his term with an electronic tag while Gueant, 80, will not go to prison due to the state of his health.

Eric Woerth, Sarkozy's 2007 campaign treasurer, was acquitted.

Sarkozy was first convicted for graft and sentenced to a one-year jail term, which he served with an electronic tag for three months before being granted conditional release.

He has faced repercussions beyond the courtroom, including losing his Legion of Honour -- France's highest distinction -- following the graft conviction.

But the man still enjoys considerable influence and popularity on the right of French politics, and is known to have President Emmanuel Macron's ear.