The wife of a former Calgary private school teacher jailed in Indonesia says her husband is a victim of a flawed foreign justice system and is calling on Ottawa to put pressure on Indonesian authorities to secure his release.
Neil Bantleman, 45, is a former teacher at Webber Academy in Calgary and has been teaching at the Jakarata International School for the past six years.
Bantleman and a teaching assistant, Ferdinand Tjiong, were detained by police in Indonesia after going to the station to answer questions regarding an investigation into allegations of assault against three students at the school.
According to a report in the Jakarta Post, six cleaners hired via an outside company were arrested for allegedly raping a boy in a school bathroom earlier this year. Since then, the parents of two other students have come forward, claiming that their sons were sexually assaulted by teachers.
“And they were detained, with the assumption and the thought that they would be released the next day once the questioning was over and since that time his status has changed from witness to suspect,” said Neil’s brother, Guy Bantleman.
Tracy Bantleman, Neil’s wife, spoke to CTV News from Jakarta on Tuesday and says they were shocked to learn of the allegations.
“Can you just imagine getting a phone call by the head of school on the last night, to say, you know, I’m sorry to tell you that you have been named by a parent, in an email, that you sexually assaulted a child with another staff member assisting,” said Tracy.
She says her husband and Tjiong have been cooperative with police from the start and that they are innocent.
“He’s innocent. Ferdi is innocent. The school stands behind Ferdi and Neil, the community, the board, Indonesian citizens, that are here, have come to me and have said they are embarrassed for their country,” said Tracy.
“He doesn’t know these kids, he hadn’t had exposure to these kids, prior to this case starting,” said Guy.
Tracy says she has met with representatives from the Canadian Embassy about the case and is calling on the Foreign Affairs Minister to step in.
“They have fully supported me and my husband but honestly I know that friends and family have written to John Baird, I personally haven’t had time, and he can consider this my letter, publically to take immediate action to help free my husband and Ferdi from this situation.”
Bantleman has not been charged but his wife says police can detain him for 20 days, until August 2, and then can hold him for an additional 40 days if they feel they have strong enough evidence.
A Facebook campaign has been started to free Neil Bantleman and Ferdi Tjiong, click HERE for more information.