Sarkozy denounces ‘plot’ at trial over alleged campaign funding by Libya

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrives in court (Thibault Camus/AP)

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy vigorously denounced a “plot” he said was staged by “liars and crooks” at a trial over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the Libyan government led by former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In his first remarks since the trial started on Monday, Mr Sarkozy, 69, said: “You will never find one Libyan euro, one Libyan cent in my campaign.”