French High Commissioner fingered in Tahiti row

12:52 pm on 17 December 2018

A French Polynesian court has found that the French High Commissioner acted illegally in a marital property dispute involving the veteran politician Gaston Flosse.

Gaston Flosse

Gaston Flosse Photo: AFP

The politician's former wife Tonita Mao took Rene Bidal to court over his failure last year to authorise the police to evict Flosse from their erstwhile joint home.

She had turned to Mr Bidal after Flosse ignored a court order to vacate the premises.

However, Mr Bidal, who is in charge of security in the territory, ignored her request which the court now described as being illegal.

The ruling is without consequence because Flosse has meanwhile moved out after being given a suspended jail sentence for home invasion.