A 22-year-old rape and murder case will be reheard by China's top court after a regional court review found insufficient evidence.

A man named Nie Shubin was executed for allegedly raping and killing a woman in the Hebei provincial capital Shijiazhuang in 1994. However, in the year 2005, serial rapist and murderer Wang Shujin, said that he was responsible for the crime. The claim was later rejected by the Hebei Higher People's Court.

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Due to Wang's claims, questions have been raised over the validity of Nie's killing. His family has even filed an appeal against his conviction. The Supreme People's Court (SPC) assigned a court in Shandong Province to review the case in December 2014. A five-member panel concluded that there was insufficient evidence in the original trial in which Nie was found to be the alleged perpetrator. The panel revealed that the trial and investigation of the murder and rape case was plagued with numerous inconsistencies.

The panel further suggested that the case is reheard.

The SPC has announced that a retrial panel will be formed to hear the case and the developments about the matter will be made public. The SPC decided to push through with the retrial after the panel examined case files and listened to the lawyer to the defendant. The SPC also consulted forensic scientists and the autopsy reports.

"Also, great doubts were cast over several aspects like when the crime was committed, which tools were used to kill the woman and how the woman died. It couldn't be ruled out that the crime was committed by someone else," the SPC said in a statement.

The signatures of Nie on six legal documents in the case have been found to be fabricated, but the fingerprints on the documents are his. Nie's lawyer Li Shuting has said that he will have a new witness at the Supreme Court hearing once the retrial starts.

Nie's mother reportedly broke down in tears when she heard of the retrial.

Tagschina, supreme court, top court, retrial, rehearing, 22-year-old murder and rape case, Nie Shubin, Wang Shujin