A former French soldier accused of spying in the Central African Republic (CAR) was allowed to return to France for health reasons but still faces a Bangui trial, his family said Sunday.
His arrest was denounced as a "manipulation" by France, whose relations with its former colony have nose-dived since 2018.
Sister of the accused stated that he left CAR's capital Bangui on 18 may.
"We greeted him this morning at Charles de Gaulle airport. He left Bangui on May 18 and travelled via Gabon," whose President Ali Bongo Ondimba was a "mediator" between Paris and Bangui, his sister Caroline Quignolot told media. "He is very weak and needs to rest."
After Quignolot's arrest, leaked photos began to circulate in the press and social media allegedly showing him with a stock of military weapons seized at his Bangui home.
He was charged with "espionage, illegal possession of military and hunting weapons, criminal association, harming domestic state security and conspiracy."
Aid workers said Quignolot had worked occasionally as a security guard for several organisations.
In a ruling by appeals court, that dated back to June 17, president Laurent Ouambita, doctors had confirmed "rapidly deteriorating health" had put his life at risk, without further details, reports say.
But Quignolot "will have to appear before the criminal court [...] as soon as his health improves." If convicted, he faces a life sentence of hard labour.