A fugitive fraudster on the run for more than three decades has surrendered himself to police - because he wants free food, clothes and medical treatment.

Li Qingchun, 56, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for manslaughter in 1980.

He and his older brother had posed as holy men and claimed they could cure the sick. However, Li accidentally killed a woman when he forced her to drink alcohol containing incense ashes in Shangqiu, Henan province.

After serving a short time in prison, he escaped in November 1980 and has been on the run for 32 years, police said.

During his time as a fugitive, Li has lived in many Chinese cities, pretending to a homeless man with a mental illness, Beijing Morning Post reported Wednesday.

However, he got sicker as he got old, and had no money to pay for treatment. People living near a prison told him he could get food, clothes and medical treatment there.

On Oct 8, he turned himself in to authorities and will have to serve the remainder of his sentence plus extra time for as punishment for his escape.