After serving 11 years in prison for the murder of his wife, a man was released on Friday following her reappearance with her second husband and son, according to Xinhuanet.

"I want those officials involved in my conviction punished," said She Xianglin, 39, from Shayang County in Hubei Province. As well as being robbed of 11 years of his life, he had sustained many injuries in prison, which he said were caused by staff.

The provincial higher people's court said all courts in Hubei should regard She's case as a lesson and deliver their rulings in accordance with the law and the evidence offered.

She's wife, Zhang, disappeared in 1994 after developing mental health problems and suspecting him of having an affair, a situation that had led to frequent quarrels.

A part-time patrol officer at a local police station in Jingshan County, She was suspected of murder after police found a female body near a reservoir in their hometown.

He was arrested despite the fact that the corpse was badly decomposed and could not be identified.

She's family believed he was innocent but the police and the court did not believe them. His wife's family insisted that he had killed her.

The local court sentenced She to death that year, but the case was taken to the provincial court, which sent it back in 1995 for retrial. In 1998, a new sentence of 15 years' imprisonment for "intentional murder" was passed.

"At first, I insisted I was not the murderer, but later I could not bear the endless interrogation so I just said I did it," said She, who is now in hospital.

Pictures on Xinhuanet showed She's injuries, including broken legs and fingers, which he said were from being severely beaten in jail.

The murder sentence had been disastrous for She's family, who never stopped fighting for his freedom.

His daughter dropped out of school. His brother, now in his 40s, did not marry because he devoted his energy to proving She's innocence. His mother died after suffering mental health problems.

After leaving She, Zhang went to Shandong Province. There, she was treated for her psychological problems and married a local villager. The couple now have a 10-year-old son.

"I really didn't know what had happened to She, and I thought he would live a better life after I left," said Zhang, who was visiting her family after 11 long years.

"The story is too costly and disastrous," said She, who refused to see his wife because of the consequences of her disappearance. He said he would be taking legal action for compensation from the state.

"But I'm quite confident it will come out all right in the end," he added, crediting his daughter for helping him come through the tragedy.

The identity of the woman whose body was found in 1994 is still unknown.

(China Daily April 4, 2005)