Former French Polynesia president, head of assembly detained

2:45 pm on 15 October 2016

Reports from Tahiti say investigators have detained French Polynesia's former president Gaston Flosse and the president of the assembly Marcel Tuihani for questioning.

Marcel Tuihani

Marcel Tuihani Photo: AFP

They were held as part of an ongoing investigation by the Public Security Directorate into alleged abuse of public funds which had been launched in February.

They were released without being charged. Mr Tuihani's latest formal detention was the second in two weeks.

The probe centres on the hiring of four staff of the assembly's secretariat whose combined annual salaries exceed $US360,000.

The four in question are close to the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party of Gaston Flosse and the investigation is to establish whether they work for the secretariat or the party only.

Mr Tuihani, who is also a Tahoeraa politician, said he is very happy with their work.

Investigators searched his office in March and seized many documents.

Gaston Flosse

Gaston Flosse Photo: AFP