Indonesia grants clemency to Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman convicted of child sex abuse
- Bantleman was convicted in 2014 on charges of abusing kindergarten students at the Jakarta Intercultural School
- ‘Five years ago I was wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes I did not commit’, the man said in a statement
Neil Bantleman and Indonesian teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong were convicted in 2014 on charges of abusing kindergarten students at the Jakarta Intercultural School, where the children of many expatriates, diplomats and wealthy Indonesians are enrolled.
The pair have always maintained their innocence and the lack of transparency in the case was criticised by Canada and the United States, adding to concern about the lack of legal certainty in Indonesia.
Sri Utami, director general of correctional affairs at Indonesia’s Law and Human Rights ministry, said that Bantleman had been granted clemency.
Girl, 14, beaten and sexually assaulted by 12 high school students
Bantleman was cited in the statement as saying: “Five years ago I was wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes I did not commit and furthermore never occurred.”
His clemency petition included a handwritten note in which he appealed to President Joko Widodo to allow him to return to his family in Canada to have the “opportunity to once again become a contributing and productive member of society”.
His jail sentence had been reduced from 11 years to five years and one month, though he would still be required to pay a fine of 100 million rupiah (US$7,100), according to a copy of Widodo’s clemency decision.
The two were originally sentenced to 10 years in jail but were acquitted in August 2015, after nearly a year behind bars, and released.
Child sex abuse at school sparks calls for tougher punishments
However, Indonesia’s Supreme Court later overturned the acquittal, extended their jail sentence and ordered their rearrest, a decision the Canadian embassy in Jakarta called unjust.
Lawyer Denny Kailimang, who represents both men, said Tjiong remained in jail because he felt sending a petition for clemency meant he would be admitting guilt.
Five janitors from the school were also jailed over the case. Police said a sixth suspect killed himself.
Bantleman in his statement thanked family and friends around the world for their support and “the government of Canada for their steadfast commitment to seeing us home”.
“We are asking for privacy at this time so we can reconnect with family and move forward with our lives,” he said.
