The Supreme People's Court in Ha Noi will today review the life sentence handed to Nguyen Thanh Chan for a murder in 2003, in light of new evidence suggesting his innocence.
At a press conference yesterday, Nguyen Viet Hung, Chief of the Supreme People's Procuracy's Secretariat, made public his organisation's decision to conduct a sentencing review for Nguyen Thanh Chan over whether his life sentence should be suspended.
Hung said during his 10 years in prison, Chan had sent a number of letters to jailers saying that he didn't kill Ms Nguyen Thi Hoan on the night of August 15, 2003.
He alleged that the killer was in fact Ly Nguyen Chung.
On July 5, 2013, Chan's wife Nguyen Thi Chien sent a letter to the Investigation Department of the Supreme People's Procuracy, reiterating these claims.
After receiving the letter, investigation officers conducted an intensive investigation of Chung, prompting him to go on the run.
Across two months, the officers found that Chung used nearly 100 different mobile phone sim cards and frequently changed his hiding place.
On October 25, 2013, Ly Nguyen Chung surrendered and admitted he had killed Nguyen Thi Hoan on the night of August 15 2003 during a robbery in Me Hamlet, Nghia Trung Commune, Viet Yen District, northern Bac Giang Province.
Based on the results of the investigation and interview with Chung, on October 29 2013 the Supreme People's Procuracy issued Decision No 17/QD-VKSTC-C6 to organise the first hearing for Ly Nguyen Chung to be tried for the crimes of "murder" and "robbery".
When asked by reporters whether Nguyen Thanh Chan will be vindicated and compensated for his time spent in prison, Hung said it would depend very much on today's sentencing review.
