Teenager tried for killing his own mother

JAKARTA (JP): A 17-year-old boy was indicted at the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday for allegedly killing his mother.

Prosecutor Roskanedi said the defendant, Hardiansyah, killed his 53-year-old mother, Jumriyati, on Feb. 3 in their house on Jl. Setiakawan, Duri Pulo, for berating him.

"He killed her because he was also ashamed of having a mentally ill mother. He had planned to kill her," Roskanedi said in proceedings closed to the public.

He said the defendant woke up at 2:30 a.m. on the second floor of the house where his brothers and sisters were sleeping.

Hardiansyah then went downstairs and took out a knife from the kitchen before entering the bedroom where his mother was sleeping, he said.

The defendant then covered his mother's face with a piece of cloth and stabbed her in the chest and abdomen, he said. The victim died instantly at the scene.

Roskanedi said Hardiansyah left a letter beside his mother's body saying that he had killed her and asking his brothers and sisters not to report it to the police.

Roskanedi charged the defendant under Article 340 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

Presiding Judge Mahdi S.N. adjourned the trial until next week, when witness testimonies will be presented.

Hardiansyah said outside the court that his mother started to suffer from deep depression 10 years ago after returning home from Saudi Arabia as a housemaid. The mother of 12 children found out at that time that her husband had married again.

"My mother apparently could not forget my father and her divorce. She often scolded me and the other children without clear reasons," the elementary school dropout said.

"I never planned to kill my mother. I didn't really realize what I was doing that morning. I just woke up and stabbed my mother. I actually loved her and she loved me too," he said in the court detention room. (jun)