Li Ping, a farmer from Lidakang Village, Bozhou City, was arrested by the police in March 2000 on charges of murdering a fellow villager and stealing his ox.

Although Li insisted he was innocent and told the court his earlier confession was the result of police brutality, he was still found guilty as charged in February 2001 and the Bozhou Intermediate People's Court sentenced him to death with a two-year suspension and confiscation of all his property.

As Li was too poor to hire a lawyer for an appeal, the Anhui Provincial Legal Aid Center appointed Sang Hongzhi, a lawyer with the Anhui Runtian Law Firm, to provide him with free legal services.

During his investigations, Sang discovered Li was actually working as a migrant laborer in north China's Shanxi Province at the time of the murder and robbery and therefore had a watertight alibi.

In May this year, after two retrials, the Anhui Provincial Higher People's Court gave the final ruling that the sentence be annulled due to a serious lack of evidence and Li was released after more than two years in jail.

"It was like a nightmare. The fact shows that law is just and fair," said an emotional Li after his release.

The police officers, prosecutors and judges responsible for the original conviction have been punished. With the help of the legal aid service Li is now seeking state compensation for his ordeal.

Legal aid, which enables low priced or free legal services to be given to the disadvantaged, was used by about 310,000 Chinese last year.

Since its launch in 1994, the service has attracted nearly 9,000 professionals who work in more than 2,200 organizations across the country.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2002)