Canadian teacher surrenders after Indonesian court’s shock decision to overrule child abuse acquittal

A Canadian teacher surrendered to authorities and was back in custody after Indonesia’s Supreme Court overruled his acquittal and that of an Indonesian teacher on charges they sexually abused three children at a prestigious international school, and ordered longer prison terms for both.

Canada expressed shock at the court decision.

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 convict them.

But Spreme Court spokesman Suhadi said a three-member panel of judges on Wednesday reinstated the District Court conviction and 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 US$7,440 each or serve six more months in jail, Suhadi said.

READ MORE: Canadian, Indonesia ordered back to jail

Chandra Saptaji, head of the general crime section at the South Jakarta Prosecutors’ Office, said Bantleman, who was in Bali, surrendered on Friday after communicating with authorities through the Canadian Embassy.