Official suspended over whistle-blower's death

The Anhui city of Fuyang , best known for a lavish government building modelled after the White House, is again at the centre of unwanted attention following the suspension of a senior official over the death of a local whistle-blower.

Zhang Zhian, party secretary of Yingquan district, has been relieved of his duties pending a probe into the suicide of businessman Li Guofu, who had reported cases of corruption involving local officials to the central government, the China Youth Daily reported.

Two other officials - Yingquan district chief prosecutor Wang Cheng and anti-corruption chief Zheng Tao - were also suspended, the paper said.

Li, a property developer as well as Zhang's subordinate, accused the party secretary of several abuses of power, some involving the construction of a government office resembling the White House.

Completed in 2003, the White House sparked huge controversy, not least because the government had demolished an elementary school to set aside enough land for the project.

The building has become a tourist attraction, but it cost at least 30 million yuan (HK$34.08 million), nearly one-third of Yingquan district's annual income, in an area where most people are farmers.