July 30, 2010, 11:03AM ET

Fiji's former prime minister pleaded not guilty on Friday to 12 charges including money laundering and tax evasion, local media reported.

Mahendra Chaudhry is charged with breaching Fiji's laws on overseas investments, of not declaring foreign currency and misleading Fijian tax authorities, according to Fijian media reports.

The charges relate to financial transactions allegedly made by Chaudhry between November 2000 and July 23 this year, the Fiji Village website reported.

He was represented in High Court in the capital of Suva by his son, lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry, who said disclosures relating to the case were not received until 45 minutes before Friday's hearing.

Justice Daniel Goundar adjourned the hearing until Aug. 6 to allow Chaudhry time to examine the disclosures.

Chaudhry was elected in 1999 but served only one year before being overthrown in a coup. He was finance minister in the government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama until 2008.