Share

In rare move, Chinese man acquitted of murder

Beijing - In a rare move, a Chinese court has acquitted a death-row inmate convicted of murder in a sign that the country's heavily controlled judiciary system has become more cautious in cases involving death sentences.

Citing insufficient evidence, the high court of the eastern province of Fujian overturned the guilty verdict against Nian Bin, a grocery shop owner accused of fatally poisoning a fellow villager's two children in 2006.

Nian was immediately freed after the announcement. He spent eight years behind bars and repeatedly appealed his guilty verdict, with lawyers saying he was tortured into confessing to the crime.

Critics say political pressure to solve homicide cases often leads to wrongful convictions based on coerced confessions. Nian's case attracted some of China's most prominent lawyers and wide attention in social media.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 481 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 689 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.91
+0.1%
Rand - Pound
23.87
+0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.38
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
+0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.13
+0.1%
Platinum
908.05
+1.2%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE