Sarkozy in court over Bettencourt donations scandal

Judge in Bordeaux will decide whether former president will be charged over campaign fund donations from L'Oréal heiress.

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has appeared in court to answer questions about suspicions he illegally accepted donations from France's richest woman to fund his 2007 election campaign.

A judge in Bordeaux will decide whether the 57-year-old Conservative will be charged with taking advantage of the 90-year-old L'Oréal heiress, Liliane Bettencourt.

Sarkozy has consistently denied the allegations.

Bettencourt's former accountant told police she handed more than €150,000 (£120,000) in cash which she was told would be handed to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer.

In July, a magistrate ordered the seizure of Sarkozy's diaries.

Source: The Guardian UK (22/11/2012): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/22/sarkozy-court-bettencourt-scandal