Sarkozy 'witness' in donation probe

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under investigation as a special witness after a day spent answering a judge’s questions about whether he accepted illegal campaign donations from Europe’s richest woman.

After 12 hours of questioning, the prosecutor in Bordeaux, Claude Laplaud, confirmed to Sipa news that Mr Sarkozy had been named as a witness with the possibility of facing charges later in the case of 90-year-old L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt.

Mr Sarkozy left the courthouse shortly before 10pm local time, accompanied by his lawyer.

Ms Bettencourt’s former accountant told police she handed over €150,000 in cash she was told would be passed on to Mr Sarkozy’s campaign treasurer.

In July, a magistrate ordered the seizure of Mr Sarkozy’s diaries, including his calendars.