Overview
- The court rejected Djouhri’s bid for release, noting he “has facilities to decide on leaving national territory” and that his proposed safeguards were particularly weak.
- Prosecutors had urged continued detention under article 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as the sole way to preserve proceedings and prevent concertation.
- Judges also questioned the initial housing plan for electronic monitoring because it was next to Nicolas Sarkozy’s offices, leading the defense to offer an alternative address.
- The ruling comes six days before the appeals court reviews Sarkozy’s own release request and a week after co-defendant Wahib Nacer was freed by the same chamber.
- Djouhri was sentenced on September 25 to six years in prison and a €3 million fine for schemes including a fictitious art sale benefiting Claude Guéant, and his appeal places his custody under provisional-detention criteria.