Former Fiji PM pleads not guilty to money laundering charges

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Fijian opposition leader and former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry has pleaded not guilty to the charges. [AFP]

Sean Dorney

Last Updated: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:33:00 +1000

Two prominent Indo-Fijian identities have appeared before the courts in Fiji.

The leader of the Fiji Labour Party and Fiji's only non-indigenous Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of alleged money laundering and tax evasion.

Mr Chaudhry who was removed as Prime Minister and held hostage for 56 days in the 2000 coup served for a time as Commodore Frank Bainimarama's Finance Minister.

More lately he's been a critic of the military led regime.

Mr Chaudhry's lawyer, his son Rajendra, entered the plea on behalf of his father in the Suva High Court, according to Radio Fiji.

Rajendra Chaudhry also requested a change to his father's bail conditions, saying Mahendra Chaudhry needs to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Justice Daniel Goundar will rule on that request next Friday.

Mahendra Chaudhry was arrested last week and charged in relation to incidents dating back to just after the 2000 coup.

Rights lawyer before court

Also before the courts has been a leading human rights lawyer, Imrana Jalal.

The Corruption Commission Commodore Bainimarama established attempted to prosecute Ms Jalal and her husband for alleged minor misdemeanours relating to Suva City Council food regulations but a Judge has thrown out the case.

Amnesty International has welcomed the ruling saying the prosecution was politically motivated because she, too, has been a critic of the military led government.