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Top court finds 2 guilty of sex abuse of Indonesian students Top court finds 2 guilty of sex abuse of Indonesian students
(about 5 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s top court overruled the acquittals of a Canadian and an Indonesian teacher and ordered longer prison terms for the men for sexually abusing three young children at a prestigious international school in Jakarta, a court official said Thursday. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s Supreme Court has overruled the acquittals of two teachers, a Canadian and an Indonesian, on charges they sexually abused three children at a prestigious international school, and ordered longer prison terms for them, a court official said Thursday.
Neil Bantleman and Ferdinant Tjiong had been sentenced to 10 years last April by the South Jakarta District Court. But they maintained their innocence and filed appeals to the High Court, which acquitted them in August, ruling there was not sufficient evidence to support their conviction. Canada and the United States both expressed shock and dismay over the verdict.
Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi said a three-member judge panel handed down a verdict Wednesday based on the prosecutors’ appeal. Neil Bantleman and Ferdinant Tjiong had been sentenced to 10 years in prison last April by the South Jakarta District Court. They appealed to the High Court, which acquitted them in August, ruling there was insufficient evidence to support their conviction.
Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi said a three-member panel of judges handed down a verdict Wednesday based on the prosecutors’ appeal.
“The judge panel concluded that the defendants were proven to have violated the 2007 Child Protection Law,” said Suhardi, who uses a single name. “It did not only reinstate the District Court’s verdict but also lengthened the sentence to 11 years.”“The judge panel concluded that the defendants were proven to have violated the 2007 Child Protection Law,” said Suhardi, who uses a single name. “It did not only reinstate the District Court’s verdict but also lengthened the sentence to 11 years.”
The two teachers at the Jakarta International School, now called the Jakarta Intercultural School, also were ordered to pay a fine of $7,440 each or to serve six more months in jail, Suhadi said. The two teachers at the Jakarta International School, now called the Jakarta Intercultural School, also were ordered to pay a fine of $7,440 each or serve six more months in jail, Suhadi said.
Chandra Saptaji, head of the general crime section at the South Jakarta Prosecutors’ Office, said Tjiong was taken from his house early in the day and was now serving his sentence at the Cipinang Prison in eastern Jakarta. Chandra Saptaji, head of the general crime section at the South Jakarta Prosecutors’ Office, said Tjiong was taken from his house Thursday and is now serving his sentence at Cipinang Prison in eastern Jakarta.
“We are still looking for Bantleman, who is actually under a ban to leave the country,” Saptaji said. “Hopefully, he is cooperative and complying with Indonesia law.” “We are still looking for Bantleman, who is actually under a ban to leave the country,” Saptaji said. “Hopefully, he is cooperative and complying with Indonesian law.”
U.S. Ambassador Robert O. Blake expressed disappointment over the verdict, saying the outcome of the legal process will impact international views about the rule of law in Indonesia. The Canadian government said it was “deeply dismayed and shocked” by the court’s ruling.
“We are shocked and disappointed by the decision announced by the Supreme Court to sentence two international school teachers,” Blake said in a statement. “It is not clear what evidence the Supreme Court used to overturn the High Court’s decision.” “This decision is unjust, given the many grave irregularities throughout the various proceedings in this case and the fact that all evidence presented by the defense has systematically been rejected,” Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement.
Bantleman and Tjiong were arrested in July 2014 following allegations from parents of a 6-year-old student that he’d been sodomized. “Mr. Bantleman and Mr. Tjiong were not provided the opportunity to demonstrate their innocence. Despite Canada’s repeated calls for due process, this case was not handled in a fair and transparent manner,” Dion said.
Four male janitors at the school were already sentenced to eight years in prison in that case and a woman received a seven-year prison sentence as an accomplice. Police said a sixth suspect killed himself in custody by drinking bathroom cleaner. U.S. Ambassador Robert O. Blake also expressed shock and disappointment over the verdict, saying it would impact international views about the rule of law in Indonesia.
Under Indonesian law, both Bantleman and Tjiong still could challenge the sentence by filing for judicial review by the Supreme Court if they have new evidence. Bantleman and Tjiong were arrested in July 2014 following allegations from the parents of a 6-year-old student that he had been sodomized.
The South Jakarta District Court threw out a civil lawsuit in which one child’s parents sought $125 million from the school for alleged negligence. Four male janitors at the school were already sentenced to eight years in prison in that case and a woman received a seven-year sentence as an accomplice. Police said a sixth suspect killed himself in custody by drinking bathroom cleaner.
Under Indonesian law, both Bantleman and Tjiong still could challenge the sentence by filing for a judicial review by the Supreme Court if they have new evidence.
The South Jakarta District Court threw out a civil lawsuit in which a child’s parents sought $125 million from the school for alleged negligence.
The school in southern Jakarta is attended by children of foreign diplomats, expatriates and Indonesia’s elite. It has 2,400 students aged 3 to 18 from about 60 countries.The school in southern Jakarta is attended by children of foreign diplomats, expatriates and Indonesia’s elite. It has 2,400 students aged 3 to 18 from about 60 countries.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.