The younger brother of a farmer who was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly evading expressway tolls in central China's Henan Province turned himself in, saying the sentenced farmer was his scapegoat.

Shi Junfeng, younger brother of the sentenced Shi Jianfeng, turned himself in at around 10 p.m. Saturday at Wuliang Township police station, Yuzhou City, said police head Wang Xucan.

Shi Junfeng said his brother took the blame for him, and he offered bribes after the detention of his brother, and was promised that his brother would be released soon.

Shi Junfeng is being questioned and will be transferred to Pingdingshan Public Security Bureau, said Wang.

Shi Jianfeng allegedly avoided paying expressway tolls worth almost 4 million yuan (604,202 U.S. dollars) by using false military passes.

Shi Jianfeng was convicted of fraud for evading expressway tolls reaching 3.68 million yuan between May 2008 and January, 2009, according to the court verdict of Pingdingshan Municipal Intermediate People's Court.

Shi Jianfeng allegedly purchased fake military uniforms and license plates and hired others to drive two vehicles transporting sand. Tollgate records show that Shi avoided payment 2,362 times, said local prosecutors.

Also, the court ruled that Shi Jianfeng's political rights were deprived for life. He was fined 2 million yuan and his illegal revenues were confiscated, according to the court verdict.

The case caused a stir in China since many questioned whether the sentence was too harsh and whether the tolls were a reasonable amount.

The Pingdingshan Municipal Intermediate People's Court decided on Friday to retry the case.

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