Baby gear thief gets 7 months

Baby gear thief gets 7 months

JAKARTA (JP): A judge at the Central Jakarta District Court
sentenced defendant Kurnia Julfon, 34, to seven months in jail on
Friday after he was found guilty of stealing a bag containing
baby gear and Rp 70,000 (US$9) at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital in July.

In Friday's trial, prosecutor Samadi Budisyam demanded the
court sentence the defendant to nine months in prison.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant violated Article
362 of the Criminal Code on theft, which carries a maximum
sentence of five years in jail.

Judge Endang Sri Sumarsih said the defendant stole a red bag,
belonging to witness Erik Puang Naboe, from the hospital's labor
room on the third floor. The bag contained baby gear and Rp
70,000.

The judge said the witness met the defendant at the hospital
on July 24, when the witness was waiting for his pregnant wife,
who was having a checkup.

"The defendant told the witness that he was waiting for his
pregnant wife too," said the judge.

After conversing for a few minutes, the witness entrusted the
bag to the defendant while he went to the hospital's drug store
on the ground floor to buy medicine prescribed by the doctor, she
said.

But the defendant disappeared along with the bag belonging to
Erik, who reported the theft to the hospital's security guards.

Five days later Erik met the defendant again when he took his
wife to the hospital for another checkup.

Erik apprehended the defendant and handed him over to
hospital's security personnel, the judge said. (asa)