An investigation has been launched into the death of an official who died less than a week before he was to go on trial for misusing money allocated to victims of the Sichuan earthquake.

A post-mortem examination has been conducted on the body of Pu Zemin, former chief of the civil affairs office in the Wulong township in Yanting county, to help determine the cause of death, said Ren Tong, chief of Yanting's information office.

Pu, 57, was in poor health and being held in detention when he died early on Saturday, Ren said.

The results of the post-mortem exam are expected within 30 days.

Pu was arrested along with the Party chief and the chief of the township government last July. The three men were accused of misusing public money allocated for use on houses damaged by the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan on May 12, 2008.

Ren Tong, who is among 10 people assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, said Pu suffered pains in the stomach and vomited at about 1 am last Saturday, and he was prescribed medicine by the detention center.

His condition worsened at around 2:40 am and the center sent him to the county hospital where he had a physical check-up and was put on a drip. He was pronounced dead at 10:56 am. No bruises were found on his body.

The investigation team, headed by Gong Xiaozhong, a county official, was formed in response to concerns from Pu's family about his sudden death.

The Mianyang public security bureau, which administrates Yanting, has seized security footage from the detention center.

Gong said that if the video shows any wrongdoing, then the offenders would be severely punished.

The Yanting county government allocated the money to Wulong township for earthquake repairs. The area was one of the hardest hit by the devastating quake.

The men are accused of transferring more than 400,000 yuan (US$58,824) from the special earthquake fund for use on the construction of a residential quarter in the township.

Pu and the two other officials were due to stand trial on April 2.

Pu was not in good health and both his family and lawyer, He Yucheng, had asked that he be granted bail. The application had been approved, but he was still in custody at the time of his death.

Pu's younger brother, Pu Zejun, said that Yao Deshu, the head of the detention center, told the family at about 9:30 am last Saturday that Pu was receiving treatment in hospital and that he would be released on bail.

Pu Zeqiong, Pu's younger sister, said Pu's lawyer described her brother as being in high spirits several days before his death.