An Opposition MP in French Polynesia says authorities are to blame for allowing a member of the Territorial Assembly to stay on the payroll despite a conviction.
Henri Flohr has resigned his seat at least six months after appeals by him failed to overturn a suspended jail sentence for the misuse of public funds.
Loic Brigato, an assembly member, says Mr Flohr had been convicted of a crime and should have gone long ago.
"But all the concerned authorities, the president of the government, the president of the Territorial Assembly, and the high commissioner of the French Republic in Tahiti, decided to maintain artificially Mr Flohr in this position, despite the fact that he was definitively condemned. This is really a scandal."
The issue will be aired today when abuse of power allegations made by Opposition MPs and others go to court.
