Chaudhry sues media for US$5b over tax stories
Title -- 5375 FIJI: Chaudhry sues media for US$5b over tax stories
Date -- 14 March 2008
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Radio NZ International 14/03/08
Copyright - RNZI
Status -- Unabridged
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FIJI'S CHAUDHRY SUES MEDIA FOR US$5b OVER TAX STORIES
www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=38582
SUVA (RNZI Online/Pacific Media Watch): The Fiji Sun says the interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, has filed a multi-billion US dollar lawsuit for defamation.
According to court papers, Chaudhry wants US$660 million from each of the defendants for publishing information about his tax affairs.
The defendants are the Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika, senior reporter Robert Matau, publisher Evan Hannah, Fiji Times website moderators John and Jane Doe, News Ltd Australia, and two former Fiji Islands Revenue Customs Authority staff, Lepani Rabo and Joseva Leano.
The interim minister wants damages for articles published by the newspaper alleging that he had evaded taxes.
Chaudhry has accused the paper of waging a malicious and pre-meditated campaign to remove him from office, breach his right to privacy, defamation, and a refusal to issue an apology.
* The Fiji Times is owned by a local subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
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