The former mayor of Huahine in French Polynesia, Felix Faatau, has been sentenced to two years in prison for abusing public funds.
Photo: ikiryo/123RF
The appeal court in Papeete also fined him $US2000 and deprived him of his civic rights for five years.
However, he said he will take the case to the highest appeal court in France, which means that he will remain free pending the decision in Paris.
Felix Faatau, who was an assembly member of the ruling Tapura Huiraatira until the last election, keeps maintaining his innocence.
Among other things, he was convicted for pocketing money which an accommodation manager paid to the local council.
He was also found guilty of giving a council-owned bus and driver to his daughter's business which ran school buses, whose bills were then met by the council.