Three maids jailed for jewelry theft<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced
\nthree housemaids on Wednesday to three months in prison for
\nstealing jewelry worth Rp 2 billion (US$181,820) belonging to
\ntheir employers.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Djafni Djamal said defendants Ai Nurhasanah,
\n28, Harini Samala, 26, and Sumarni, 24, were found guilty of
\nstealing the jewelry which was buried by their employers at their
\nresidence on Jl. Purwakarta in the plush area of Menteng in July.<\/p>\n
"Although the victims had already revoked their report to the
\npolice, the defendants who admitted to the crimes, still have to
\nbe punished," Djamal told the court.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor H.P. Silitonga earlier asked the court to sentence
\nthe three women to six months in prison.<\/p>\n
Silitonga said the jewelry, in the form of gems, bracelets,
\nnecklaces and rings, belonged to Farida Astar and Sitti Venry
\nFirnasya, the wife and daughter of Ibrahim Astar Siregar, a
\nformer finance director at the state-owned electricity company PT
\nPLN.<\/p>\n
Concerned about possible renewed rioting in their area, the
\nSiregars decided to bury the jewelry in their backyard on July
\n10, the prosecutor said.<\/p>\n
He said Farida asked the family's servant, Mukhid, to put the
\njewelry inside a pail and bury it under a tree in the compound at
\n8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Housemaid Sumarni, who happened to find out about the buried
\njewels, told her two friends. The three then planned the theft
\nand dug up the jewelry at 3 a.m. on the next day, Silitonga said.<\/p>\n
The defendants then kept the jewelry at Sumarni's rented house
\nin the Kemayoran area.<\/p>\n
Farida, who felt uncomfortable about her family's idea, asked
\nMukhid to dig up the jewelry in the evening.<\/p>\n
Amazed by the disappearance of the jewelry, Farida's daughter
\nSitti then reported the case to the Menteng police, the
\nprosecutors said.<\/p>\n
The three were then arrested and the jewelry found on the next
\nday.<\/p>\n
After hearing the verdict on Wednesday, the defendants burst
\ninto tears.<\/p>\n
Without lawyers to defend them, they told the court that they
\naccepted the judge's decision.<\/p>\n
Since they were detained at the Pondok Bambu Women
\nPenitentiary in East Jakarta shortly after the arrest, they now
\nhave to spend only another month in the jail before their
\nrelease.<\/p>\n
Three witnesses had earlier submitted their written
\ntestimonies to the court against the defendants.<\/p>\n
After reading the verdict, judge Djamal suggested the three
\nmaids ask their employer Farida, who attended the trial with her
\nhusband, for forgiveness.<\/p>\n
Farida and husband Ibrahim remained silent, refusing to answer
\nthe reporters questions. The couple left the court in a hurry.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-maids-jailed-for-jewelry-theft-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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