Pacific / French Polynesia

Temaru set to be cleared in Tahiti election probe

17:35 pm on 18 October 2018

Oscar Temaru Photo: RNZI/Monica Miller

French Polynesia's pro-independence opposition Tavini Huiraatira party says its leader Oscar Temaru won't lose office over alleged breaches of the electoral law.

In August, the French national commission vetting campaign contributions and expenses rejected Mr Temaru's return and referred his case to the top administrative court.

The Tavini now says it has been notified by experts advising the court that the discrepancies in the accounts are not of a magnitude warranting Mr Temaru's suspension.

The court's ruling in the case is expected in two weeks.

The party had sent additional documentation after the commission found that an entry of $US36,000 by Mr Temaru was not explained properly.

The Tavini campaigned in the May territorial election on the issue of probity as the ruling Tapura Huiraatira fielded many candidates with corruption convictions, including the president Edouard Fritch and the assembly president Gaston Tong Sang.