Two private criminal proceedings have been filed in the Cook Islands against Prime Minister Henry Puna and Deputy Prime Minister Mark Brown.
Filed by lawyer Norman George, the proceedings allege the MPs conspired to defraud the crown of about $US20,000 by chartering an aircraft for an emergency medical evacuation when no such emergency existed.
Mr Brown says the proceedings are a scurrilous attack orchestrated by the opposition Democratic Party.
But Mr George says the MPs chartered the flight soon after the general election in June 2018 in order to shore up the government's majority.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and his deputy Mark Brown. Photo: Phillipa Webb / Cook Islands News
The prime minister's office says Mr Puna will not be commenting.
Mr Brown says they'll be defending the charges and that he's confident they'll be dismissed and found as mischievous.
