20 Nov 2003

Ruling deferred in court case against French high commissioner in French Polynesia

4:43 pm on 20 November 2003

A French Polynesian court has deferred a ruling against the French high commissioner, Michel Mathieu, until February.

The news agency Tahitipresse says the case relates to claims by opposition representatives that Mr Mathieu had failed to act against a member of the territorial assembly, Henri Flohr, who continued to serve despite a suspended jail sentence.

The case was originally to be heard in June but Mr Mathieu was absent and the hearing this week he was represented by a Paris lawyer because he was again away.

Flohr was advised by Mr Mathieu to step aside in May a day after Mr Mathieu was summoned in the case but Flohr did not resign until September.