Oceania Flash reports the decision was made as a result of a meeting of the Senate’s Bureau and it followed a request from Tahiti-based judge Philippe Stelmach.
The approval allows the French judiciary to detain Flosse for a duration not exceeding 24 hours, renewable once, for the needs of the enquiry, Senate Speaker Gérard Larcher told French media, saying this amounted to a “partial” lifting of Flosse’s immunity.
Any further request from the judiciary regarding longer period of imprisonment was to be made once again to the Senate’s Bureau.
Reacting to the Senate’s decision against him, Flosse told French media he was “ready to face the judges” and had “no intention of absconding justice”.
Flosse’s personal assistant Melba Ortas was earlier this month placed in custody as part of the current judicial enquiry into Flosse’s affairs.
