Mother charges son with TV theft

JAKARTA (JP): A 27-year-old man accused of stealing his widowed mother's television set was freed from all charges after the housewife decided to drop the case during the first hearing at West Jakarta District Court on Wednesday.

Jie Jini Kukus, the mother, suddenly dropped the charges against her son, Cahyadi Kurniawan, after the judge asked her whether she was serious about the case.

"He's my son," she told presiding Judge Sri Handojo during the trial.

After hearing the woman's decision, the judge then ordered Cahyadi to apologize to his mother.

He left the defendant's seat and kneeled in front of his mother, asking her forgiveness and promising to never do it again.

Earlier in the session, Kukus told the court that Cahyadi -- with the help of his brother Wahyudi Kurniawan -- stole the television set, which she had bought for Rp 1.8 million (US$243), in early June and sold it to a pawnshop for Rp 550,000.

She reported the case to the police, who then arrested Cahyadi on June 13. Wahyudi was not caught.

"I can't take my son's attitude anymore," she told the court.

According to Kukus, she lodged a complaint with police because she had lost patience with her jobless son. She said he often asked her for money and she always gave it to him.

The judge appeared pleased with the mother's decision to drop the case. (03)