Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

French Polynesia mayor detained in corruption probe

Posted at 21:08 on 26 October, 2012 UTC

Reports from French Polynesia say the mayor of Fakarava has been detained in Tahiti.

Howard Vairaaroa is being investigated for alleged corruption on the atoll, which used to be a key retreat of a former president, Gaston Flosse.

This comes as another French Polynesian mayor, Cyril Tetuanui, was this week forced to step down after the highest court in France upheld a one-year suspended prison sentence given to him.

He was barred from public office for a year.

His wife, who is a former government minister, Lana Tetuanui, was at the same time given a six-month suspended prison sentence.

The two had used municipal employees in 2002 to have work done on their private residence on the island of Raiatea.