The appeal court in French Polynesia has adjourned the trial of three men, including the pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru, until mid-February.
Oscar Temaru Photo: supplied
Last year, the trio was given suspended prison sentences and fines after the criminal court convicted them for exercising undue influence over funding arrangements for a community station, Radio Tefana, which benefited Temaru's political party.
Their appeal trial was first suspended last week as the defence sought a ruling from Paris on whether the case could continue to be heard in Papeete.
The defence alleged that the prosecutor Herve Leroy acted in a grotesque manner by going to see the judge.
The appeal court is now awaiting a response to the challenge and deferred the case.
After being convicted last year, Temaru said he was being punished because in the eyes of France he committed treason by taking French presidents to the International Criminal Court over nuclear weapons tests.
Earlier this year, Temaru took Leroy to court for portraying him as guilty although the appeal case had not yet been heard.
That case was transferred to New Caledonia because the court in Papeete found it could not deal with it impartially.