Jakarta. Andi Merya Nur, the head of East Kolaka district in Southeast Sulawesi, was named a corruption suspect on Wednesday evening, less than 24 hours after she was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK.

Andi, 37, is accused of misappropriating post-disaster reconstruction funds for her personal gains.

"After gathering information concerning the alleged corruption, KPK launched a preliminary investigation and collected enough evidence to announce [two] individuals as suspects,” KPK deputy chairman Nurul Ghufron said in a news conference at his office in Jakarta.

Anzarullah, the head of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), is also implicated in the case.

The district government has earlier applied for reconstruction funds from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and reportedly was handed Rp 39 billion.

The money was intended to rebuild two bridges and 100 houses in the district.

Anzarullah asked the district head that the projects were given to people in his circle, according to Nurul.

Anzarullah also offered his company as consultant in construction planning for bridges and houses that cost a total of Rp 889 million.

Andi, who has been in office since only about three months ago, approved the proposal but she asked a fee worth 30 percent of the overall project values, Nurul said. 

She asked a payment of Rp 250 million from the consultant job alone, Nurul added.

Dressed in orange vests, both suspects were presented in front of journalists during the news conference.

Andi was reelected deputy district head in last year’s election. She was promoted to the top post in the district in mid-June, less than three months after then district head Samsul Bahri Majid died from heart attack.