Sarkozy ‘helped’ Polanski get bail: Report

London, Nov. 27: French President Nicolas Sarkozy helped Roman Polanski get bail after the filmmaker spent two months in a Swiss prison on a child sex case, it has emerged.

The director’s sister-in-law Mathilde Seigner hinted that the leader has been instrumental to the recent development.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it is thanks to the President that Roman has been freed, but he has been super. The President has been very effective,” Times Online quoted her as telling Le Parisien newspaper.

Mr Sarkozy had earlier expressed his views on the director being held on a US warrant for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. In October, he told Le Figaro newspaper: “Pronouncing justice 32 years after the event, when the accused is 76 years old a good administration of justice.” Seemingly, the French Premier’s wife Carla Bruni has been the reason behind Mr Sarkozy supporting Polanski. It is believed that Bruni’s connections with the Parisian artistic community has benefited Polanski, as he and his actress wife Emmanuelle Seigner and her sister are an important part of it. Meanwhile, Polanski’s bail of 4.5 million Swiss Francs will allow him to move into his luxurious Swiss Alps chalet.

However, his movements will be monitored with the help of an electronic tagging to ensure he stays put in his chalet. The Swiss justice ministry says it will keep Roman Polanski in jail until at least Monday.

Ministry spokesman Folco Galli said on Friday that more time is needed for the conditions of Polanski’s house arrest to be fulfilled. The ministry is still deciding whether to extradite Polanski to the US. —