Many were overjoyed when Ferdinand Tjiong and Neil Bantleman, two teachers from the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) found guilty in a South Jakarta District Court of sexually abusing students in a case that was widely believed to be rife with serious evidentiary and procedural problems, were freed after the Jakarta High Court overturned the lower court’s verdict last August.
But Bantleman and Ferdinand were not totally free, as they were not allowed to leave the country until the state prosecutors appealed the overturning of the verdict to the Supreme Court.
And, to the crushing disappointment of many, yesterday the Supreme Court decided to uphold the prosecutor’s appeal and have re-sentenced Bantleman and Ferdinand to 11 years in prison. The announcement of the decision was made today.
“The Supreme Court assesses that both defendants have been proven (to have committed sexual abuse) and are sentenced to 11 years,” said Supreme Court Judge Suhadi as quoted by Okezone.
According to Suhadi, the Supreme Court panel of judges assessed that the legal considerations taken by the South Jakarta District Court had been appropriate.
The South Jakarta District Court had originally sentenced Ferdinand and Bantleman to 10 years.
The lawyers for the defense have not yet announced what, if any, steps they will be taking next.
Reader Interactions