Shafaq news/ A French court has found former prime minister François Fillon guilty of paying his wife over €1 million in public funds for a "fake job", while his wife received a three-year suspended sentence, a €375,000 fine and a two-year election ban. euronews reported.

The couple's lawyer later announced that they would appeal against their sentences.

The judicial case was prompted by an investigation of a French satirical weekly, le Canard Enchainé", published in January 2017, which alleged Fillon's wife, Penelope, had been his parliamentary assistant for 15 years, except there was no evidence she did any work.

Furthermore, Fillon was indicted in March 2017 for "embezzlement of public funds", "concealment and complicity in the abuse of corporate property" and "breach in reporting obligations to The High Authority for Transparency in Public Life".

Fillon had previously served as prime minister in Nicolas Sarkozy's government between 2007 and 2012.