Francis Stein Photo: Polynésie la 1ere
Murder charges have been reinstated against the man suspected of killing French Polynesian journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud, known as JPK, who vanished in 1997.
Francis Stein, who used to be the head of the territory's archive service, was first charged in 2019 but France's highest court accepted his appeal last year that investigative magistrates had breached rules during his questioning.
French Polynesian journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud, who disappeared in 1997 Photo: AFP
The investigative magistrates have now revived their probe of Stein and Miri Tatarata, who was JPK's partner.
The two are both accused of killing JPK, whose body has never been found.
An investigation was first opened in 2004 after a former spy claimed that JPK had been abducted and killed by the government's GIP militia, which allegedly dumped him at sea between Moorea and Tahiti.
Murder charges against two members of the now disbanded GIP were dismissed eight years ago, but kidnapping charges have been upheld.