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Kali Fungavaka at his grandfather's funeral. - Source: Supplied
An Auckland policeman, described as "quiet and unassuming" has died after an alleged assault in a Tongan jail.
Thirty-eight-year-old Kali Fungavaka suffered head injuries after being put in a cell with up to five other inmates for a minor drinking offence following his grandfather's funeral on Friday.
He was taken to hospital for surgery on his head, but he never regained consciousness.
His death was confirmed just after 6pm this evening. He died with his wife and family around him.
"Kali was an outstanding officer. He received a bravery award in 2006 for going to the aid of a woman who was engulfed in a ball of flames. He managed to extinguish the fire and his actions prevented the petrol station, where the event occurred, going up in flames," Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush said.
"Kali's colleagues describe him as quiet and unassuming, very humble and very passionate about policing and making a difference, especially in the Polynesian community.
"He was always one of those staff members who could be relied upon when the going got tough. He was a valued member of the police family."
A Tongan man, who was also arrested for drunkenness, has been charged with bodily harm and will appear in the Magistrate's Court on August 27.
Two Tongan Police staff have also been arrested for an assault
on Fungavaka earlier on the same evening.
"We have sufficient evidence that two police officers were involved
and these two police officers have been arrested and charged with,"
Assistant Police Commissioner Viliami Unga Fa'aoa said.
"They did not understand he is a serving police officer in New Zealand but they found it out later."
Fungavaka was a pallbearer at his grandfather's funeral in Tonga
on Friday but later that night he was arrested at a club in
Nuku'alofa for what police said was a minor 'drunkenness
offence'.