Mosque stereo thief gets 11 months in jail

Mosque stereo thief gets 11 months in jail

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The Kendari District Court sentenced on Wednesday a man to 11 months in jail for stealing a stereo recording unit belonging to a mosque in Anduonohu village, Poasia district in Kendari.

The man, identified as Joni Rumaleang bin Syamsuddin, 39, a construction worker, said he accepted the sentence and pledged not to repeat his crime. In his confession however, he said he had stolen on at least three other occasions.

"This is the third time I stole something and I will try not to repeat this misdeed," Joni said, bursting into tears.

To the court, Joni's defense was that he had become emboldened to steal the stereo after getting drunk with his friends on Aug. 30.

Joni broke into the mosque and made away with the stereo set but a nearby resident caught him red-handed before he could flee the scene.

Presiding judge M. Hoesni Soeleman said Joni had violated Article 362 of the Criminal Code. --Antara