Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The West Sumatra public prosecutor`s office has questioned former Agam district head Aristo Munandar as a witness in a Rp1 billion graft case in connection with the construction of houses for earthquake victims.

Aristo who was Agam district head from 2005 to 2010 was questioned for six hours starting at 01.00 p.m. local time on Thursday.

"He was questioned as a witness in an alleged corruption case in connection with the construction of houses for quake victims in Agam district," spokesman for the public prosecutor`s office Ikhwan Rastudy said.

During the investigation, a team of investigators raised 28 questions in connection with the use of funds from the Social Services Ministry to build houses for the quake victims.

The questioning came two days after the team of investigators on Tuesday grilled three witnesses, including head of the Agam district development planning board (Bappeda) Isma Imran and treasurer of social service, manpower and transmigration office Yusrizal.

The graft case came to the light following an allegation that the construction of the government-funded houses for quake victims fell short of standard.

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake devastated West Sumatra on September 30, 2009, leaving more than 264,708 houses damaged.

In Agam district alone, the number of damaged houses reached around 20,572. More than 807 people perished in the quake.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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