Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy slams ‘six years of slander' at corruption trial

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy complained on Monday of being the victim of six years of “slander”, in his first remarks to the court at his landmark corruption trial.Sarkozy became France's first modern head of state to appear in the dock last week, going on trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling.The 65-year-old right-winger, who also faces trials in two other investigations, is accused of offering judge Gilbert Azibert a plum retirement job in exchange for inside…