4 Dec 2009

Flosse to face Ortas as French Polynesia OPT probe continues

4:28 pm on 4 December 2009

Reports from Papeete say French Polynesia's jailed veteran politician, Gaston Flosse, is today scheduled to be questioned in the presence of his personal secretary, Melba Ortas.

Both are key suspects in the OPT affair that centres on allegations that he and his party received kickbacks in excess of two million US dollars over a decade for giving public sector contracts to a French advertising executive.

The confrontation in front of investigative judges is to help establish the veracity of claims that she regularly picked up payment from the advertising company on behalf of Mr Flosse.

He was jailed again yesterday after being free for a week, with the prosecution saying his detention is needed to prevent him applying pressure.

As part of the probe, she was jailed in July and kept imprisoned for several weeks.