Pacific

Tonga rugby dispute engulfs PM

15:26 pm on 28 September 2009

A dispute which has seen the establishment of rival Tonga Rugby Union boards could result in legal action against the Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele.

Sangster Saulala claims he is still the chair of the TRU board despite Sione Taumoepeau having headed the body since April last year.

Mr Sangster says he has been unfairly treated after a government directed audit found that one point six million US dollars of funding from the International Rugby Board was unaccounted for.

He says he doesn't trust the Auditor's report and says the Prime Minister is interfering and dictatorial.

Meanwhile, a member of Sione Taumoepeau's board, Mark Hojelsen, says two recent AGMs have directed the board to find out what happened to the money.

"The process that we are doing now is that we will probably have to get an accountant and auditor to seriously look into this, and you know, and just follow the trail, and see what actually happened."

Mark Hojelsen