A wrongly convicted farmer is still behind the bars for murder despite another man claiming responsibility and turning himself into police three years ago, China Youth reported.

Wang Zifa and a relative went drinking with their friend Wu Zongmou in a dormitory in Milan County, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, late night on September 19, 2001. In the early hours of next day, Wu Zongmou was stabbed in his chest and abdomen 20 times and later died in hospital. Wang Zifa was also stabbed 20 times.

The local police detained Wang, suspecting he was the killer although Wang denied any involvement. In November 2002, Wang was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People's Court in Hechi, Guangxi, and all his personal wealth was confiscated.

Wang, born in November 1947, appealed to the higher court while being held in prison for three years, but the conviction was upheld and he received the death sentence with a two-year reprieve in 2005.

Tan Hanbao, who was jailed for robbery, confessed to a prison guard in 2007 that he was the person who killed Wu Zongmou and injured Wang Zifa. Tan explained he lived near to Wu's house and got irrigated that night because Wu was shouting bad things after drinking.

Tan, who also drunk that night, attempted to persuade Wu to stop shouting, but he refused. Tan then stabbed Wu and Wang.

The prosecution process against Tan has been slow since 2007, due, in part, to the collection of evidence. Wang is still in prison although Wang's family has been assured he will be freed soon.

Wang's nine-year-old son has been living with his grandparents in a run down house without any electric appliances. "I can't remember how my father looks like," said the boy.

Wang's wife migrated to work in Foshan, South China's Guangdong province and comes back to see her son only during the Spring Festival, China's lunar New Year.