Housewife sentenced for bitting off finger

Housewife sentenced for bitting off finger

JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta District Court has sentenced
Mrs. Wartini, 29, to three-and-a-half months imprisonment for
biting off the finger of Mrs. Rusmiati, 34.

Prosecutor HPW Soekewi told Antara on Wednesday that Mrs.
Wartini and Mrs. Rusmiati are, respectively, the second and first
wife of Herman Susilo.

The prosecutor explained that Mrs. Rusmiati's finger was
bitten off by Mrs. Wartini at the latter's house in Tanah Pasir,
Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Nov. 28 last year.

The quarrel started when Mrs. Rusmiati went to Mrs. Wartini's
house to ask whether Herman was there because he has not visited
Mrs. Rusmiati and her three children for several months, the
prosecutor said.

Mrs. Rusmiati insisted on entering Mrs. Wartini's house after
she was rudely told that Herman was not there. Herman has,
reportedly, also left Mrs. Wartini and their two-month old child.

The two women were involved in a heated argument, which led to
a fight, and ended up with Mrs. Rusmiati's finger being bitten
off.

The three-and-a-half month prison term is far lower than the
seven months demanded by the prosecutor.

The lower-than-demanded jail term was given because, at the
trial, Mrs. Wartini expressed deep regret and apologized to Mrs.
Rusmiati for her uncontrollable act.

The two housewives finally hugged each other and wept,
realizing that they both had the bad luck of being cheated and
left by their husband. (hhr)