French Polynesia's pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru is taking the prosecutor Herve Leroy to court after he last week seized $US100,000 from his private bank account.
In a separate move, Mr Temaru has lodged a complaint with the judicial authorities over the seizure of the funds.
The two steps were taken after Mr Leroy issued a statement, saying he ordered the action against Mr Temaru so that the money would not disappear.
Mr Temaru, who is in his fourth day of an unlimited hunger strike, said Mr Leroy failed to honour the presumption of innocence when he seized the money because his case was still before the court of appeal.
Photo: 123RF
He said this was serious and he demanded $US100,000 in damages, which is the equivalent sum taken last week.
Last year, Mr Temaru was convicted for exerting undue influence over the funding of a community radio station.
According to Mr Leroy, the money seized was what the Faaa municipal council spent on Mr Temaru's defence, which Mr Leroy said was an abuse of public funds.
In the second step, Mr Temaru appealed to the judicial authorities to reverse the judge's order to seize his money.
The order was issued this week after Mr Temaru had launched his hunger strike.
Supporters of Oscar Temaru outside Papeete courts Photo: supplied