12-year Indonesian jail term sought for Canadian charged in child sex case
Teacher first questioned by Jarkarta police on July 14, 2014
Indonesian prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail term for Neil Bantleman, a Canadian teacher accused of sexually abusing three young children at a prestigious international school.
Prosecutors have called for 12-year sentences for Neil Bantleman, of Burlington, Ont., as well as teaching assistant Ferdinant Tjiong. The men, who were arrested in July, say they are innocent, as do a number of fellow teachers and the principal at the Jakarta International School.
They are being tried on charges of violating the Child Protection Law, which provides a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.
Prosecutor Nurhayati told reporters after a hearing Thursday that the heavy sentences are being sought because as teachers they had traumatized the victims.
Neil's brother, Guy Bantleman, said he was in "disbelief" at the situation his brother is facing, and "frustrated" with what he called a lack of help from the Canadian government.
"Every time something comes out, I shake my head in utter amazing that we're at this point," Guy said Thursday. "We haven't seen one piece of evidence... This truly is a case built on greed, a case built on allegations."
In December, five janitors at the school were sentenced to up to eight years in jail in the sexual abuse of one of the children.
Bantleman's family has been urging Ottawa to publicly declare its support for the Ontario man.