Tunisian court rules candidate Karoui must stay in jail

A Tunisian court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by presidential candidate Nabil Karoui seeking release from detention pending a verdict in his trial for tax evasion and money laundering, which he denies, a Reuters witness said.

Karoui came second in the first round of the presidential election last month and will compete in a run-off vote against retired law professor Kais Said on October 13 after Tunisia's electoral commission said he could stand pending a verdict.

(Reporting By Tarek Amara, writing by Angus McDowall Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)