Two teachers charged sexually assaulting three boys in school’s kindergarten, civil case thrown out.
Two International School teachers found not guilty over charges of sexual assault upon three kindergarten students of Jakarta Intercultural School. Teacher Neil Bantleman and Indonesian colleague Ferdinant Tjiong jailed for 10 years after a mother reported that her five-year-old student had been repeatedly raped in the school toilet, April 2014.
Since the two teachers accused of the crime, their contract has been terminated. However, International School teachers received support from the school, its student, and their parents despite allegations. Jakarta Intercultural School, former Jakarta International School is an international school in Jakarta, Indonesia established in 1951. The school is the largest international primary and secondary school in Indonesia.
Indonesian lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea, representing Bantleman and Tjiong stated, court dismiss convictions of sexually abusing students aged 6 and 7 years old who attended the school’s kindergarten.”The truth is finally revealed and justice has been done,” said to reporters.
Neil Bantleman’s name has been cleared after more than one year in custody in an appeal hearing in Jakarta on Friday morning, local time, Neil’s brother Guy Bantleman said. Neil Bantleman 45 year-old school administrator sentenced 10 years in prison charged of raping three boys found not guilty.
The decision over International School teachers came July 16 after a court in Singapore proved woman accusing them defamed Bantleman and Tjiong. After proved not guilty, the parent ordered to pay fine as charge of moral damages.
“The previous verdict has been overturned by the Jakarta high court because there was no evidence of sodomy,” Hutapea told reporters. Conviction of Ferdinant Tjiong, Indonesian teaching assistant was also thrown out due to insufficient evidence.
Several cleaners of the previously admitted to withdraw charges claiming police used physical violence to make them confess. Canada’s minister of state for foreign and consular affairs Lynne Yelich claimed, the government has been following the case closely and has long called for a fair and transparent trial.IMAGES/Getty
