The Foreign Ministry this afternoon denied that ransom had been paid to the militia in Tripoli for the release of a Maltese national taken hostage in December 2013.

The ministry referred to a story published in Il-Mument, which interviewed Geoffrey Farrugia who it claimed was taken hostage in December 2013.

It (the ministry) said its information from Mr Farrugia himself, including in writing, showed he had told the Maltese authorities he had had an argument with his Libyan business partner who reported him to the police and he was arrested.

The consul had visited Mr Farrugia at the police station and helped him get a lawyer.

Mr Farrugia was allowed to leave the station after an agreement was reached between him and his business partner and he returned to Malta two days later, the day on which il-Mument was alleging he was taken hostage, the ministry said.

In an e-mail thanking the authorities, Mr Farrugia said this had been a business trip during which he ended up being arrested, the ministry said.