Watch thief gets four-month jail term

JAKARTA (JP): A judge at the South Jakarta District Court sentenced defendant Ade Dirganta on Wednesday to four months in jail for stealing a wristwatch from a friend.

The sentence was two months less than that sought by prosecutor Yuni Daru Winarsih.

"The defendant was proven guilty of violating Article 362 of the Criminal Code," said Judge Munawir.

According to Munawir, the story began on March 15 this year when 24-year-old Ade visited Reddy Rosaedi at the latter's office at Tour and Travel Service PT Alto Rina in the Grand Wijaya Center business complex in Kebayoran Baru.

During the visit, "the defendant requested money from Reddy, saying that he was broke," the judge told the court.

Ade explained that he had just been beaten by his mother after he asked for some money, Munawir said.

As a friend, Reddy then agreed to give Rp 10,000 to the defendant.

Shortly after the two men said farewell, Ade, who knew that Reddy was going to the kitchen in the office, went back to the victim's desk, took the yellow watch and put it in his right trouser pocket, the judge said.

A few minutes later, the victim went back to his desk and learned that his watch had been stolen by his friend.

"Reddy chased after the defendant," said the judge.

The victim's shouts alerted passersby at the complex who then managed to overwhelm the defendant, Munawir said.

Bambang Suharmono, a witness, told the hearing that he seized the watch from the defendant.

"We saved the defendant from the crowd, and confiscated the watch," said Bambang, who is also chief of security of the business complex.

When asked to comment on the judge's decision, Ade said he accepted the verdict.

Before reading the verdict, the judge asked Ade why he needed the needed money so badly at the time.

The defendant replied that he required money to pay for medical expenses for a headache.

Doubted this, Judge Munawir then ordered Ade to roll up his left sleeve in order to look for possible traces of drug injections.

Ade's arm displayed signs of injections.

"We can conclude that you firstly intended to buy illegal drugs from the proceeds of the stolen wrist watch, not for curing your headache," he said. (asa)