A couple who mistook a pedestrian for a robber beat up the hapless man and had to pay for his medical fees in Xing'an county of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Guilin Evening News reported.

Local resident Zhang and his wife suspected a pedestrian surnamed Jiang, who was walking home from night shift, of being a robber because he trailed them on the streets. The couple had 100,000 yuan (US$14,600) in their pockets then.

Zhang and his wife beat Jiang to the ground when he walked closer to them. Jiang's eyes were seriously injured from the attack and had to be sent to hospital for treatment, while police detained Zhang and his wife.

After they learned of the truth, Zhang and his wife had to pay Jiang's medical fees and apologize to him.

The couple were later released after Jiang accepted their apology.

(China Daily January 8, 2009)