President Truong Tan Sang has asked concerned agencies to offer compensation and vindication to a man who spent 10 years in jail on a life sentence for a crime he apparently did not commit. Meanwhile, a court is trying a different man believed to be the real murderer.
>> Lifer’s sentence suspended when real culprit turns himself in
The President made the request after being reported about the case in which Nguyen Thanh Chan, 52, of Bac Giang Province, who was sentenced to life in 2004 for killing a woman, was set free on November 4 after the real culprit admitted his crime to police. The President also requested that anyone who committed wrongdoings that led to the wrong sentencing be held responsible. Meanwhile, the Supreme People’s Court is opening a rehearing for the case, with the defendant being Ly Nguyen Chung, 25, also in Bac Giang. Chung has pleaded guilty to the aforementioned murder for robbery purposes in August, 2003. Chung handed himself to the police in Dak Lak province last October 25 as police were hunting him down based on the accusation of Chan’s wife and some others.
Nguyen Thanh Chan, who has experienced 10 years in prison, reunited with his relatives on November 4 (Photo: Tuoi Tre)
According to the case file, Bac Giang police in December, 2003 indicted Chan for killing the woman and next year, the prosecutor’s office approved the indictment. In March, 2004, the provincial People’s Court opened a trial for Chan, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Chan appealed, affirming that he was innocent. He said he was forced by investigators to falsely plead guilty.
However, at the appeal hearing, the Supreme People’s Court in Hanoi upheld the life sentence. During the past 10 years in prison, Chan always maintained his innocence and the prison management had sent his petition to the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procurary for consideration.
Nguyen Thi Chien, Chan’s wife, also lodged a petition. It was she who pointed out that Chung was the real murderer, not her husband. Police have questioned Chung’s step-mother and brother and both confirmed that Chung was the killer. Chung himself admitted to the crime.