Nicolas Sarkozy predicted that French police would come looking for him days before his marital home with Carla Bruni and his office was raided as part of an ongoing illegal campaign funding scandal.
Mr Sarkozy lost his judicial immunity as head of state two weeks ago.
Magistrates are investigating claims that house staff of Liliane Bettencourt, heiress to the L'Oréal cosmetics empire and France's richest woman, handed over brown envelopes stuffed with cash to Mr Sarkozy and his aides to finance his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
On holiday in Canada since Monday, Mr Sarkozy has made no public comment on the raids. But Le Parisien quoted him as telling friends in recent days: “I know they’ll come looking for me. Nothing will come of it all.”
He has previously dismissed suggestions he received illegal payments as an electoral “stink bomb”.
This morning Socialist interior minister Manuel Valls said: “(Sarkozy) is answerable to the law like anyone else. Justice must shine a light (on this case).” While insisting his role was to “respect the independence of the justice system, these inquiries, these raids”, Mr Valls added that France was going through a “moral crisis” after five years under Mr Sarkozy.
A judicial source cited by Libération newspaper said: “It was obvious even before these raids that judge (Jean-Michel) Gentil would summon (Mr Sarkozy). It is now inevitable.” ...read more
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