President Truong Tan Sang has urged relevant agencies to quickly resolve the case of a murder convict who was released after another person confessed to the crime.

Nguyen Thanh Chan in front of his father's altar when he returned home. At first he was sentenced to death, but this was reduced to life in prison because of his father's contributions in the revolution.

Ly Nguyen Chung confessed to the crime

On the behalf of the president, deputy director of the Presidential Office, Giang Son, signed a document to ask the heads of Ministry of Public Security, Supreme People's Procuracy and Supreme People's Court to clear the ex-prisoner, Nguyen Thanh Chan's name from guilt, give him compensation and restore his legal rights.

They were also requested to make clear the responsibility of individuals involved in the prosecution of Chan and make a report to the president.

On August 15, 2003, a woman named Nguyen Thi Hoan, from Me Village, was killed at her home. Based on the results of the investigation, Chan was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. Chan had made appeals against the original ruling but he was only released 10 years later, when Ly Nguyen Chung, who lived in the same village with Chan, confessed that he was the real murderer.

Chan said with Tienphong Newspaper that he tried to commit suicide in prison to prove his innocence. "They beat and threatened me into submission. They made me transfer cells several times a night. I admitted to being guilty just to avoid the beatings and thought that I could prove my innocence in court."

According to Chan, the investigator coached him on how to act as if he were the murderer when they reconstructed the crime scene in an abandoned house. "At that time, I just thought I should comply so the trial could move quickly and I then tell people that I'm innocent." he said.

Chan's wife and children still believed in him and worked in every way they could to exonerate him.

The investigators of the Supreme People's Procuracy also detained Chung's father, Ly Van Chuc, for threatening to kill a witness and to help in any further investigation. Nguyen Viet Hung, Chief of the Supreme People's Procuracy's Secretariat, said, "We have to admit our mistakes and try to fix them."

The hearing will be held today, November 6, to review Chan's original verdict and Ly Van Chung's punishment. According to legal experts, Chung may only be imprisoned for a maximum of 18 years because he committed murder when he was 15 years old.