This week's planned appeal court case in French Polynesia of three politicians convicted for abusing public funds has been deferred because of a lawyer's absence.
Gaston Tong Sang Photo: Alchetron
Gaston Tong Sang, Clarenntz Vernaudon and Fernand Roomataaroa were found guilty of abusing public funds to pay for phantom jobs by signing contracts to seal a 2008 coalition deal with the Ai'a Api Party.
Mr Tong Sang was the president at the time and struggling to stay in power.
Earlier this year, the three were also sentenced to jointly pay $US80000 back to the public purse.
The prosecution wanted Mr Tong Sang to be declared ineligible to hold office for a year, but the criminal court rejected that and he remains an assembly member of the ruling coalition and the mayor of Bora Bora.
No date has been set for the appeal court hearing.