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Rere Puputauki

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Léonard Colombel Puputauki, also known as Rere Puputauki, is the former head of French Polynesia's Presidential Intervention Group (GIP). Since being removed from office he has been convicted of manslaughter, abuse of public funds, and ignoring labour laws over actions taken while managing the GIP. Charges of kidnapping relating to the disappearance and murder of journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud are still pending.

In August 1999 he was made an officer of the Order of Tahiti Nui.[1]

Following the election of Oscar Temaru as President of French Polynesia in 2005, Puputauki was replaced as head of the GIP.[2][3] He subsequently led the organisation in a rebellion against the government, repeatedly blockading Tahiti's main port in an effort to prevent his replacement,[4][5] gain new contracts,[6][7] and destabilise the government.[8] In October 2006, the GIP seized government buildings, including the territorial assembly and presidential palace.[9][10] After being driven out by French gendarmes with tear gas[11] they demanded the resignation of the French High Commissioner.[12] In November 2006 he threatened further blockades.[13]

In March 2010 he was convicted of ignoring labour laws over a scheme in which he used GIP staff to transfer tuna boats from China and South Korea to French Polynesia for his private fishing business. He was sentenced to one year in prison.[14] The prison sentence was upheld on appeal in 2012.[15]

In April 2010 he was sentenced to four years in prison for manslaughter over the 2003 sinking of the Tahiti Nui IV.[16][17] In December 2019, the administrative court of French Polynesia ruled that he did not have to reimburse the government for compensation paid to the families of the victims.[18]

In July 2013 he was charged with kidnapping and forcible confinement as part of an organised criminal gang over the 1997 disappearance and murder of journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud.[19][20] In April 2014 Le Monde leaked wiretap recordings in which Puputauki discussed the murder of Couraud with two of his GIP subordinates.[21] The wiretap evidence was thrown out by the Court of Cassation in January 2015.[22] The charges are still outstanding.[23]

In October 2016 he was convicted of abuse of public funds over his management of the GIP, and sentenced to a further 18 months imprisonment.[24][25] In May 2017 he was convicted of abuse of trust over a failed property deal, and given a two-year suspended prison sentence.[26] The sentence was upheld on appeal in 2018.[27][28]

References

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  1. ^ "LISTE DES TITULAIRES". 21 July 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  2. ^ "New French Polynesian government to look into money transfers and GIP force". RNZ. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ "TAHITI WORKERS BLOCK TEMARU". Pacific Islands Report. 14 March 2005. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Le GIP, en résistance, bloque le port de Papeete" (in French). Liberation. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Deal ends second French Polynesian port blockade in ten days". RNZ. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  6. ^ "French Polynesia's GIP wants new contracts". RNZ. 30 June 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ^ "French Polynesia's GIP threatens to impose new blockade of port". RNZ. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  8. ^ "French Polynesian politician views GIP demands as destabilisation move". RNZ. 5 July 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Dissidents seize French Polynesian government buildings". New Zealand Herald. 24 October 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  10. ^ "PAPEETE DEMONSTRATORS OCCUPY PRESIDENT'S PALACE". Pacific Islands Report. 24 October 2006. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021.
  11. ^ "POLICE ROUT PAPEETE DEMONSTRATORS WITH TEAR GAS". Pacific Islands Report. 25 October 2006. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018.
  12. ^ "French Polynesian strikers demand resignation of French high commissioner". RNZ. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Disbanded French Polynesian GIP force threatens more illegal blockades". RNZ. 6 November 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Tahiti court gives former GIP boss Puputauki one-year jail term". RNZ. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Jail sentence upheld for French Polynesia's Puputauki over GIP boat transfers". RNZ. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Naufrage du Tahiti Nui IV: prison ferme pour Rere Puputauki et Yannick Boosie" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Four-year jail term for former GIP boss over the sinking of Tahiti Nui IV". RNZ. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Rere Puputauki évite une dette de 25,4 millions" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Affaire JPK : Léonard "Rere" Puputauki mis en examen" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Puputauki charged over French Polynesia journalist disappearance". RNZ. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Polynésie: les écoutes renforcent la thèse de l'assassinat de "JPK" (avocat famille)" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Affaire JPK : l'annulation des écoutes de Manate et Puputauki confirmée en cassation" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Francis Stein demande la modification de son contrôle judiciaire" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Gestion du GIP : 18 mois ferme pour Rere Puputauki" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Jail term for former Tahiti GIP head Puputauki". RNZ. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Jail sentence for Tahiti's Puputauki". RNZ. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Rere Puputauki : la Cour d'appel confirme la peine de deux ans avec sursis prononcée en première instance" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Rere Puputauki condamné à 2 ans de prison avec sursis" (in French). Polynesie1. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
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