PAPEETE – Police in French Polynesia have searched the office of the leader of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party, Gaston Flosse, within the assembly complex.

Media reports say this follows suspicion by the public prosecutor that four assembly staff members have been seconded to work exclusively for the party.

It is alleged that $US360,000 ($F720,000) of assembly funds have been misspent to employ the four last year after their high remuneration was questioned in the assembly.

The four include a former minister in Flosse’s administration, Manolita Ly.

Flosse is barred from holding public office since 2014 because of a corruption conviction.

Last month, the office of the assembly president, Marcel Tuihanui, was searched as part of the same probe.