‘Killer’ jailed for 10 years, then victim returns

BEIJING - Zhao Zhenshang has been imprisoned for 10 years, accused of “murdering” his neighbour. The “victim”, however reappeared recently, U-turning a case that has laid bare custodial torture by police and sent public confidence in local authorities into a tailspin.

In May 1999, Zhao Zhenshang and Zhao Zuohai broke into a fight in their hometown Zhecheng County in China’s central Henan province. Zhao Zuohai went missing after the incident.

A year later, a headless body was found in a village well and Zhao Zhenshang was arrested, accused of murdering Zhao Zuohai, China Daily reported on its website Sunday.

Afterwards Zhao confessed to the crime and was given, at first, a death penalty with a two-year execution suspension. The sentence has been twice made lighter, to 29-year imprisonment.

Ten years later, on May 2, the “victim” Zhao Zuohai suddenly returned. He said he fled the scene because he thought he killed the other Zhao in the frenzied hacking.

Relatives of the imprisoned Zhao said he made his confession due to police torture.

“I asked him then if he was the killer, he strongly denied that,” said Zhao’s brother-in-law. He said the police had forced Zhao to drink chilli water and had even set off firecrackers over his head.

As for the headless body in village well, a local police officer told the newspaper that the authorities at that time “simply didn’t confirm nor deny it was the missing Zhao Zuohai”.

“It’s an injustice,” Zhao cried out in jail when his sister visited him Tuesday, “I’m wronged and I want out.”

His wife had since remarried, and three of his four children were adopted by other families.