Fiji's Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has said his Finance Minister has been cleared after suggestions he was evading taxes.
In a news conference, the Commodore said the interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, had invited him to investigate his tax accounts.
Commodore Bainimarama said the case was investigated by the Revenue and Customs Authority and cleared last year when the matter was initially brought to his attention.
He said many misconceptions had been created by corrupt politicians.
The Fiji Times reports the investigation relates to accounts the Labour leader kept overseas between 2000 and 2003.
It says the funds of more than one and a half million US dollars were involved.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr Chaudhry says he will be suing the Fiji Times and Fiji Sun newsapers for defamation for their reports over the tax investigations.
