VietNamNet Bridge – On August 9 the Supreme People's Court formally concluded that Mr. Tran Van Them, 81, was wrongfully convicted of murder and given a death sentence46 years ago.

Mr. Tran Van Them

At a meeting yesterday, Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Bui Ngoc Hoa said based on records and related documents, relevant agencies had agreed that Them’s half-century case was wrongfully convicted.

The judicial agencies are also prepared to officially apologise to Them and compensate him for the losses he suffered due to their mistake.

In 1970, Them, a resident in Yen Phu commune, Yen Phong district of Bac Ninh province, was arrested and charged with murder for robbery in a case in Dong Tinh commune in Vinh Phu province. He was sentenced to death in 1973.

Specifically, on July 23, 1970, Them and his male cousin went to Vinh Phu Province’s Dong Tinh Commune to buy tram fruit. 

That night, when the two men were sleeping in a hut, a robber used a hammer to strike them. His cousin was struck in his head. Them screamed and tried to fight off the robber, who escaped.

After hearing Them screaming, local residents came to his assistance. At that time, Them was found with a bloody stick in his hands. Local residents helped him bring his cousin to the commune’s health station for first aid. However, his cousin died on the way to Vinh Phu Hospital.

In August 1972, the People’s Court of Vinh Phu charged him with murdering his cousin and sentenced him to death. 

Them appealed against the charge, but in August 1973 he received the same verdict from the appeals court.

In 1975, a man gave himself up and confessed to be the murderer in Them’s case. 

Them was released in 1976, after six years in prison but he was not officially announced to be innocent.

During his time in prison, Them wrote a letter in his own blood to claim innocence.

Them and his family continuously sent letters to authorised agencies to say he was wrongfully convicted of murder and ask them to reverse the verdict.

In 2014, the Supreme People’s Court found the two verdicts in Them’s case to have been incorrect and ordered judicial agencies to change the verdict to not guilty for Them.

The 81-year-old man was finally cleared from guilt in August. 

Linh Thu