Young girl sentenced to 64 days in jail for theft

Young girl sentenced to 64 days in jail for theft

JAKARTA (JP): The district court in Yogyakarta yesterday sentenced a fatherless 14-year old girl to 64 days in prison for theft, a press report said.

The Bandung resident, whose name was not released, was found guilty of stealing with an accomplice, still at large, while they were on holiday in Yogyakarta on Jan. 20.

But the girl, who has been living with a relative since she was one, will return home free because she has already spent exactly 64 days in detention.

The trial session was emotional. The atmosphere was fraught when the girl broke down in tears upon hearing the verdict read by presiding judge Sugiarti in the presence of prosecutor Nusirwaningsih.

The girl told the court she accepted the verdict, Antara reported. She was accompanied by an official from the Institute for Rehabilitation of Delinquent Children.

In the session also attended by the Bandung family that had adopted her, the judge said the convict stole clothing and a camera on Jan. 20th at midnight.

Earlier, the prosecutor demanded that the suspect be sentenced to four months in jail. But the judge handed down a more lenient sentence, taking into account that she is only a juvenile.

The trial and imprisonment of juveniles is a controversial issue in Indonesia. Critics say that people under 17 should not be tried because they cannot yet be considered responsible for their actions.

The government and the House of Representatives are finalizing a bill on court for juveniles.(pan)