Paris (AFP)
The prosecution on Monday demanded a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros against the former senator and president of French Polynesia Gaston Flosse, tried in Paris for "incomplete or false declaration" of his heritage and his interests.
Mr. Flosse, 90, is being prosecuted for having failed to declare a substantial part of his assets before the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) in his declaration of end of office on November 12, 2014.
This covers its shares in a real estate company (SCI) for an amount of 990,000 euros, the balance of a retirement savings account of 221,000 euros, 138 tables estimated at a total of 240,000 euros and a sum of 125,000 euros that would have collected for a claim.
"For all of these facts, taking into account his personality, his particular relationship with probity, I ask you to pronounce a sentence which takes into account the amplitude of the concealments and the sums, and the undeclared elements and also previous convictions, "prosecutor Julien Goldszlagier told the hearing.
He demanded a year in prison, with a home arrangement under electronic surveillance "given his age", a fine of 45,000 euros and ineligibility of five years.
Mr. Flosse is experiencing many legal troubles: he has already been sentenced by the Papeete Court of Appeal to two years in prison, a fine of around 83,000 euros, and five years of ineligibility for embezzlement of public funds.
Mr. Flosse's lawyer admitted "an error", "an oversight on his part" but no fraudulent intention on his client's part.
"I can only ask your court to apply more than benevolent, because of the statesman that he was, of what he brought to the community", pleaded Me François Quinquis.
The judgment was reserved on October 13.
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