Lord Ramsay Dalgety, secretary of Tonga's Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd, was arrested today, after leaving the royal commission of inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika ferry, and the deaths of at least 74 people.
The Matangi Tonga newspaper in Nuku'alofa reported there was "a bit of verbal exchange" between Lord Dalgety, the police who arrested him, his co-commissioner at the Tonga Electricity Commission Kafu Afeaki, and his counsel Stanley Afeaki.
The police arrested Lord Dalgety, 64, and read out the warrant of arrest as he left the Fa'onelua convention centre where the inquiry is being held.
Deputy Police Commander Taniela Faletau told the newspaper he did not want to make any comment on the arrest or confirm the nature of any charges.
The police would make a statement on Monday.
Lord Dalgety moved to Tonga from Scotland in 1991 and was made a law lord in 2008 by King George Tupou V, and at his initial January 22 appearance before the inquiry did admit that the Princess Ashika was an old "rust bucket" .
But he denied revising a memorandum of agreement for purchasing the vessel.
"I'm not going to be the fall guy for signing this contract or agreeing to it," Lord Dalgety, a specialist in admiralty law in Scotland, told the inquiry.
He then did not return to the commission, claiming he was ill.
But today a doctor at the local hospital said Lord Dalgety had only been suffering dehydration when admitted and should have no problem giving evidence.
Yesterday, Electricity Commissioner Tapu Panuve began crying when he was confronted with evidence that suggested public funds had been used for private travels by Lord Dalgety, who is also chairman of Tonga's Electricity Commission. The inquiry had learned from Lord Dalgety's own evidence that he travelled up to five times a year, financed by the Electricity Commission, and how it was his habit to travel first class wherever possible.
Separately, a report on the sinking by New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission (Taic) said it was "inevitable" and the ferry was beyond repair.
TAIC's report said that on the last voyage water was "boiling" over the port bow bulwarks.
"The Princess Ashika was literally driving itself under the water. The more water that penetrated the hull, the deeper in the water the vessel sank and the further it listed; the deeper it sank, the more water was able to penetrate the hull."
The captain of the ferry, Viliami Makahokovalu Tuputupu, was arrested on February 23 on five counts of taking a passenger ferry out to sea, knowing that it was unseaworthy. The five counts that were brought against Viliami corresponded to the five voyages made in Tonga by the Princess Ashika, including her final voyage on August 5.
Earlier this week, New Zealander John Jonesse, chief executive of the ferry company, was arrested for alleged forgery. He was accused of using a faked document to buy the ship.
