20-year murder conviction quashed

File photo.

The Court of Appeal today quashed the conviction of a south Auckland man who was jailed for 20 years for the murder of an elderly Chinese woman who died after a vicious beating during a robbery in 2008.

In April last year Olinale Ah You was given a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 20 years after he was found guilty in the High Court in Auckland of murdering 80-year-old Yan Ping Yang.

Mrs Yang, 80, died three days after she was attacked at her home in Saralee Drive on June 11, 2008.

The Crown argued Ah You assaulted Mrs Yang when he was carrying out a robbery.

He allegedly punched her in her face and then tried to strangle her after she retaliated, and finally bashed a wardrobe door against her head until she lost consciousness.

Ah You later admitted some involvement in the crime.

The Court of Appeal has suppressed the reasons for quashing Ah You's conviction and ordered a retrial.

- NZPA