French Polynesia's court of appeal has deferred the trial of a French National Assembly member Jean-Paul Tuaiva due today until 7 September - at his request.
The French National Assembly Photo: AFP
In June, Tuaiva was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and declared ineligible for office for five years for embezzling about US$200,000 in subsidies from his parliamentary attribution to an association in Tahiti, which then disbursed the money back to him.
The money was used to finance a trip to the United States, buy jewellery, and pay two men to work in restaurants owned by Tuaiva.
Tuiava called for a postponement of the trial because of his political engagements.
Today's decision means that he can serve out his term which ends in June.
Tuaiva has already said he will quit politics at the end of his single term.
Ranking the Assembly's 572 members for days absent from parliament, he was reportedly 12th.
