26 Aug 2013

French Polynesian president to be tried next year in Tahiti

6:03 am on 26 August 2013

French Polynesia's president, Gaston Flosse, is set to be tried next year in the criminal court in Tahiti for invasion of privacy by his now disbanded intelligence unit.

An investigative judge says after eight years of investigation, the case will proceed although Mr Flosse's rival, Oscar Temaru, had withdrawn his original complaint more than two years ago.

The judge has found that the additional complaint about the spies' alleged intrusion lodged by a lawyer and a publisher still stands.

In September 2011, France's highest court fined Gaston Flosse for destroying all evidence pertinent to the intelligence service, which spied on political rivals and a range of other individuals, including his mistresses.

Although its work was illegal, it was condoned by France as it seconded agents from Paris to work for Mr Flosse's team.

Earlier this year, Mr Flosse was given two lengthy jail sentences for corruption, but none of the convictions is final as his lawyers have lodged appeals in both Papeete and Paris.