By Theresia Sufa

A 14 year-old boy, Ferdiansyah, was tortured to death by his neighbours in Bendungan village, Ciawi, Bogor. The boy died at home on Thursday.

They accused him of stealing cellular phones and Rp 1.3 million (S$192) in cash.

The chief of Megamendung Police, Adj.Comr. Suharto, said the violent episode started on Sunday when Fahmi Harianto, a neighbor, lost his phones and an amount of cash.

"He thought the boy stole it," said Suharto on Thursday.

He said Fahmi, his father, Cecep Zulkifli, and relatives Muhamad Idris, Aman Suparman and Ajat abducted Ferdiansyah from his house on Monday and took him to a house in Sukahati, a nearby village.

The men then tied Ferdiansyah up in the house and beat him repeatedly.

"The boy admitted to the crime eventually because he was scared," said Suharto.

Other neighbours released the boy that night and brought him home.

The men came back the next day, brought him to the same house in Sukahati and tortured him again. His mother, Mimin, tried to stop the men but to no avail.

The boy's father, Toto Hidayat, found out about the repeated toture committed against his son on Wednesday. He came to the house in Sukahati and released Ferdiansyah.

Toto then reported the men to the police because of the serious extent of his son's injuries, to which he later succumbed. Police arrested the men on the same day.

"I don't understand why they did it. Cecep and Idris know me very well. They are my friends," said Toto.

-The Jakarta Post/ Asia News Network