A Polish Court on Wednesday overturned a verdict against a man who spent 18 years in jail after being wrongly convicted of rape and manslaughter.

The now 42-year-old began a 25-year prison sentence in 2000 after being convicted of raping and killing a 15-year-old near Wroclaw on New Year’s Eve in 1996.

The Supreme Court in Warsaw overturned the verdict against him after new evidence emerged proving his innocence.

Another suspect has been arrested and the case has been reopened.

The wrongly accused man was released from prison under supervision in March.

The court heard the new evidence “clearly’’ proved the man’s innocence, according to the prosecution.

The authorities had made serious mistakes that led them to go against the investigators at the time, it added, also claiming the evidence could have been manipulated.

Evidence against the man included traces of DNA found on a hat left at the scene.

Investigators now say it was not his DNA.

Prosecutors at the time also did not believe the man’s alibi about his whereabouts on New Year’s Eve, which was confirmed by 12 witnesses.

The man’s representatives in court said he would be seeking compensation. (dpa/NAN)


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