Neil Bantleman to testify against accusers in perjury probe

Jakarta Police are investigating reports of perjury connected to three parents who accused Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman and Indonesian aide Ferdinant Tjiong of sexual assault against young children at the Jakarta Intercultural School where they worked.

Bantleman, from Burlington, Ont., was scheduled to testify at the Police Headquarters in Jakarta on Monday morning at 8 a.m. Indonesia time, according to a media release from his brother, Guy Bantleman.

An Indonesian TV news show called Liputan 6 and the Jakarta Globe reported that the three parents who've filed accusations about sexual assault against their children are no longer in Indonesia and have moved to Europe.

The perjury probe stems from a police report filed by Tjiong's wife, according to those reports.

"We will continue to fight through the appeal process to ensure the truth is known, and Neil and Ferdi are fully acquitted of all charges and there are no doubts of their complete innocence," Guy Bantlemansaid in a statement.

"In addition, we will ensure that the individuals who made these allegations, and those who furthered this entire fabrication, are questioned and made to answer for their actions," he said.

Bantleman, 45, and Tjiongwerefound guilty in April on allegations they hadrapedthree kindergarten students at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS).

They were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 100 million rupiah ($7,600 Cdn), butfiledappeals to the Jakarta High Courtin May. They were freed in August and their conviction overturned.

But last week, prosecutors in Indonesia filed an appeal ofthat decision. Bantleman cannot leave the country while that appeal is in process.

Bantleman used to teach at the Webber Academyin Calgary. He had been behind bars in Jakarta since 2014 until August 2015.