12 Dec 2014

Tahiti's Flosse detained amid palace china probe

12:55 pm on 12 December 2014

Police in French Polynesia have detained the disgraced former president Gaston Flosse amid allegations of abuse of public goods.

This comes a day after his partner, Pascale Haiti, was detained for allegedly taking precious china and silverware from the presidential palace.

Reports say the items were found in a search of their home.

Flosse, who lost office because of a corruption conviction in September, has told local radio that before alleging his partner is a thief the facts should be checked.

He says he had bought the items in question, worth more than 70,000 US dollars, with his own money.

Last weekend, he said he was unduly pursued, citing a probe into claims that he is unlawfully employed at the territorial assembly by his own party.

Flosse said he worked for free and both painted and furnished the assembly office he occupies with his own money.