A French court has ruled that the son of the late President Francois Mitterrand could be freed from prison pending further investigation into an arms trafficking deal.
Earlier, a Paris prosecutor had asked the court to keep Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, 54, in jail while investigators search for more evidence of his alleged role in a money-laundering scheme that involved illicit weapons sales to Angola.
Bail was set at 5 million francs (£517,000) and Mitterrand will have to report periodically to judicial authorities.
Mitterrand was not present at the hearing at the Paris courthouse. Since December 21 he has been held at the notorious La Sante prison in the capital.
Mitterrand, dubbed "Daddy told me" for his frequent references to his father, was an Africa adviser to the late president from 1986 to 1992.
Under investigation for complicity in weapons trafficking and misuse of political power, he has denied any illegal role in the scandal, which centres on French company Brenco International.
Mitterrand is alleged to have received more than £1 million via Brenco's president, Pierre Falcone, between 1993 and 1998. Falcone and several others are also under investigation.
PA