Reports have emerged indicating police were still investigating Teina Pora this year, in relation to the 1992 rape and murder of Auckland woman Susan Burdett.
Fairfax reports police contacted a dying witness four months ago. Private investigator Tim McKinnel told Fairfax the police wanted to speak to the man about an affidavit he'd given in support of Mr Pora.
Mr Pora's conviction was quashed by the Privy Council in March 2015. On Wednesday the Government apologised to him, and offered him $2.5 million in compensation.
The reports were written by retired High Court Judge Rodney Hansen and concluded Mr Pora was innocent and deserved compensation.
But just a week before those reports were released, the head of the Burdett homicide investigation Detective Superintendent Andy Lovelock told inquiring media that the police position in the case is that Teina Pora is a co-offender with Malcolm Rewa.
Police say they were bound by confidentiality and could not change their position before the reports had been released.
Mr McKinnel cannot be reached for comment, but told Fairfax it appeared police were out to get Mr Pora "at all costs".
Ms Burdett's body was discovered at her Papatoetoe home on March 22, 1992. A year later, Mr Pora was convicted of rape, murder, and burglary and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He appealed the case and was retried for the crimes in 2000, and again convicted and sent to prison.
It wasn't until 2015 -- after a series of investigations by TV3's 3rd Degree programme -- that Mr Pora's legal team successfully appealed the convictions at the Privy Council.
Mr Hansen's report concludes the man most likely to have committed the murder was serial rapist Malcolm Rewa, whose semen was found on Ms Burdett's body.
"I find the undisputed evidence leads to the irresistible inference that Malcolm Rewa acted alone and was solely responsible for the rape and murder of Ms Burdett," the report says.
"There is no credible evidence to show that he was accompanied by Mr Pora."
Police are yet to respond to requests for comment.
Newshub.
