No appeal against decision to try Chirac in corruption case
Thursday November 05 2009
Paris prosecutors said last night they would not appeal a judge's decision to order former French president Jacques Chirac (right) to stand trial in an alleged corruption case that predated his presidency.
The case would mark the first time a former leader of modern France would have to defend himself in court.
If convicted, the conservative former leader could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined €150,000 and disqualified from public office for 10 years. Observers have said a prison sentence would be highly unlikely.
Last week, Judge Xaviere Simeoni shocked France by deciding to try Mr Chirac for embezzlement and breach of trust in a corruption case dating back to his 1977-1995 tenure as mayor of Paris. Judge Simeoni has been probing whether people in Mr Chirac's circle were given sham jobs as advisers and paid by Paris City Hall, even though they weren't working for it.
Mr Chirac (76) said yesterday he was ready for court, adding he had "nothing to blame (him)self for". He said: "I'm ready to explain myself before the justice system," and that he would appear in court himself. "The only thing that counts is justice."
- Nicolas Vaux-Mantagny in Paris
Irish Independent
