World vignettes

Murderer freed after deceased found alive in China

BEIJING: A man imprisoned nearly 10 years for murder was freed after his alleged victim turned up alive,a case that raises concerns about police using torture to extract confessions. The Higher Peoples Court in Henan Province pronounced Zhao Zuohai,57,innocent,after the man he was accused of killing,Zhao Zhenshang,returned to their village April 30,the China Daily reported on Monday. An investigation was under way into the conviction,and Zhao Zuohai will receive about 45,000 in compensation for his wrongful imprisonment,the newspaper reported. The incident raises concerns about police torture,which Zhao Zuohais relatives say was used to force him to confess even though he was innocent.