The Foreign Affairs Ministry has scotched claims made in the media that a ransom had been paid for a Maltese citizen in Libya.

In a statement, the Ministry quoted from an article in il-Mument titled: "Ransom paid for Maltese kidnapped in Libya by militia" as well as an interview entitled: "Kidnapping of Maltese citizen kept under wraps".

The Foreign Ministry said it had information in writing - supplied by Mr Farrugia himself - which show that this was never a case of kidnapping, but one of a business deal gone wrong. The Ministry said that Mr Farrugia ahd an argument with his Libyan business partner and ended up being arrested in Tripoli. In fact, on 13 December, the Maltese consul was informed that Mr Farrugia was under arrest in Tripoli and made arrangements to meet him. She visited him in prison and assisted him in finding a lawyer. In an email to thank the Maltese authorities for their assistance, Mr Farrugia also says that he ended up being arrested after a business deal went wrong.