22 Mar 2004

A New Caledonian mayor says he will appeal against a suspended prison sentence

7:03 am on 22 March 2004

A New Caledonian mayor says he will appeal against a suspended prison sentence for abuse of power.

Bernard Marant, who is the mayor of the Noumea suburb of Dumbea, was given a suspended six month jail sentence for awarding a contract to maintain public parks to a company in which his son was a key shareholder.

The scheme had been running since 1998 and according to the court, the municipal contract accounted for up to 75 per cent of his son's business, called the Green Hand.

The news agency, AFP, says a Noumea court also convicted the mayor's son, Stephane Marant, to a four month suspended prison sentence.