NU calls for sense of humanity in Palu sandals thief case

Jakarta, NU Online
The Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) has expressed sympathy to AAL, a 15-year-old boy who is facing up to five years in jail for having stolen sandals ($3.30) belonging to First Brig. Ahmad Rusli Harahap, an officer from Palu Mobile Brigade.

The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization asked the trial process to prioritize a sense of humanity in taking decisions.

General Chairman of PBNU KH. Said Aqil Siroj said, the so-called justice was not limited to legal text contained in the Book of Criminal Law (KUHP). The punishment given to crime perpetrators of crime should be fair by taking into consideration the sense of humanity.

"The purpose of punishment is to create a harmonious and stable life. Then, is stealing sandals wrong? (That's) wrong, it's still wrong. But the punishment given to a  sandals thief should be fair, and give priority to humanity," Siroj told reporters here on Monday (2 / 1).

The15-year-old student is on trial in Palu, Central Sulawesi, for allegedly stealing a pair of thongs belonging to a police officer.

Prosecutor Naseh told the Palu District Court recently that the defendant, identified as AAL, a student of SMKN 3 state vocational school, violated Article 362 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum five-year sentence term, kompas.com reported.

Naseh said that in November 2010 when AAL went home from school with his friends, he saw a pair of thongs at the road side, near the rented house of First Brig. Anwar Rusdi Harahap, and took them.

On May 27, 2011, at about 7 p.m. when AAL passed Rusdi's house, which was not far from his parents' home, Rusdi called him and asked about his missing thongs. AAL said he knew nothing about it, even after Rusdi allegedly beat him.

Finally Rusdi called his colleagues at the police station, Simson and Zul, and the three of them interrogated AAL. (enh)