PARIS, Oct 22 — France’s ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy became the first former head of an EU state to be jailed Tuesday, again proclaiming his innocence as he entered a Paris prison.

The right-wing leader from 2007 to 2012 was found guilty last month of seeking to acquire funding from Moamer Kadhafi’s Libya for the campaign that saw him elected.

The 70-year-old, who has appealed the verdict, left his home on Tuesday morning and after a short drive entered the La Sante prison in Paris.

Christophe Ingrain, one of Sarkozy’s lawyers, said a request had been immediately filed for his release pending an appeal but he would still spend at least “three weeks to a month” behind bars.

Convicts shouted from their cells “Welcome Sarkozy!” and “Sarkozy’s here!”, AFP reporters heard.

In a defiant message posted on social media as he was being transferred, Sarkozy denied any wrongdoing.

“It is not a former president of the republic being jailed this morning, but an innocent man,” he said on X. “The truth will prevail.”

Two security officers will accompany Sarkozy in prison and are stationed in a neighbouring cell, three sources told AFP, confirming a report by broadcasters TF1 and LCI.