A court in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been accused of avoiding its responsibilities over a wrongful conviction that led to an innocent man serving nine years in prison.

Wang Zifa (left) and his relative.

In 2001, the Hechi intermediate people's court sentenced 36-year-old Wang Zifa to death after convicting him of murdering a man he shared a room with. The higher court later suspended the death sentence.

Wang was released early this month and told to wait for another trial after a man confessed to police that he committed the murder that Wang had been convicted of, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

Qin Hanbao made the confession three years ago while serving a sentence for robbery at a prison in Guangxi, according to the report.

The Hechi intermediate people's court last week approved a request by the city's prosecutors to withdraw the charge against Wang due to a lack of evidence. The police in Donglan county that originally arrested Wang had withdrawn the case for the same reason.