Former French Prime minister Francois Fillon arrives at the Paris' courthouse on March 10, 2020 for the requisitions part of his and his wife's trial accusing them of embezzlement of more than one million euros in the context of an alleged job fraud. (THOMAS SAMSON / AFP)

PARIS - French prosecutors on Tuesday requested an "exemplary sentence" against former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who was accused of embezzlement of public funds by creating a fake job for his wife.

French press revealed that Fillon's wife Penelope, as his assistant, was paid up to US$10,800 a month for little to no work

On the first day of the trial, prosecutors from the National Financial Prosecutor's Office took nearly five hours to denounce the couple's "greed" and requested an "exemplary sentence" -- five years' imprisonment with three years suspended, 375,000 euros fine and ten years ineligibility, reported French economic daily Les Echos. 

Prosecutors also requested three years suspended and 375,000 euros fine for Fillon's wife Penelope.

French press revealed in January 2017 that Penelope, as Fillon's assistant, was paid up to 10,000 euros (US$10,800) a month for little to no work. 

ALSO READ: France: National Assembly head & Macron ally faces graft probe

Investigators found that between 1998 and 2013 Penelope received a net income of 613,000 euros through three contracts known only to several very close allies of Fillon, but there was little documentary evidence of her actual work.

Fillon insisted that Penelope had been his most important employee and did real work for him in his rural constituency of Sarthe. 

He denounced what he called a campaign of dirty tricks and denied having done anything illegal but admitted that he may have made mistakes.

Fillion served as French prime minister from 2007-2012.