Elisabeth Oktofani – A preliminary verdict handed down by the Central Jakarta Disctrict Court on Wednesday dropped the case against a 14-year-old boy on trial for allegedly stealing a Rp 10,000 ($1.17) cell phone credit voucher.

Presiding judge Tjokorda Rai Suamba decided to drop the charges against Deli Suhandi, a sophomore at a junior high school, because he considered the case investigation "defective."

"During the investigation, the defendant was not accompanied by a lawyer, hence the investigation is deemed to be defective," Tjokorda told the Jakarta Globe.

The judge said that even though the police investigation report had a letter attached and signed by the teenager stating that he had refused to be assisted by a lawyer, it was a violation of legal procedures.

"The letter should have been signed by his parents because he is still a minor, therefore, the case is defective," he said.

Deli's lawyer said that they were waiting for the prosecutor to respond to the sentence. "The prosecutor has seven days to decide whether or not he will appeal the sentence and if he doesn't file any appeals within that period, the case against Deli will be dropped," Hendra said.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor Agam told the Jakarta Globe that he would appeal the preliminary verdict.

"It is clear in the police investigation report that Deli, the defendant, signed a statement letter stating that he declined to be assisted by lawyer," Agam said. "Therefore, we are going to file an appeals."