France: Stricter jail sentence for ex-Sarkozy advisor

PARIS

Nicolas Sarkozy’s former chief of staff Claude Gueant has seen his conviction maintained on appeal and was hit with a stricter two-year prison sentence -- one of which suspended -- for misusing public funds of the French Interior Ministry.

The Court of Appeals of Paris also confirmed the sentence of a 75,000-euro fine as well as the prohibition from holding public office for five years handed down by a Paris court earlier in November 2015. It had also sentenced the former president's advisor to a two-year suspended sentence.

The case dates back to the period between 2002 and 2004 when Sarkozy was interior minister and Gueant, 72, was his chief of staff. For over two years, he drew, along with three staff members, a total amount of €210,000 (a little over $225,000) from a police funds account.

Gueant later became interior minister from February 2011 to May 2012 under Sarkozy when he was France's president.

The judge considered that Gueant had "abused " his powers as director general of the national police in claiming funds for himself and his staff.

The three members of his staff were also convicted and given short suspended jail terms and fines.