Neil Bantleman freed, sex assault conviction overturned in Indonesia

Canadian teacher Neil Bantlemanhas tasted freedom for the first time inmore than a year, after the Jakarta High Courtoverturned convictions against himandIndonesian teaching assistant Ferdinant Tijongon allegations they abused students at an intercultural school.

Bantleman, from Burlington, Ont.,andTijonghad spent more than a year in jail, in a casecritics say was fraught with irregularities and put Indonesia's justice system under the spotlight.

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"The truth has finally come out," a tearful Bantleman announced before kissing his wife upon his release from an East Jakarta prison, where he and Tjiong were met by dozens of cheering family members and supporters.

Bantleman, 45, andTjiongwere found guilty in April 2015 of abusing kindergarten students at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS). They had been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 100 million rupiah ($7,600 Cdn).The two menfiledappeals to the Jakarta High Court this pastMay.

The lawyer for both men, Hotman Paris Hutapea, saidFridaythe court overturned indecency convictions, on allegations they rapedthree kindergarten students who arenow six and sevenyears old.

"Justice has been done," Hutapea told The Associated Presson Friday.

The judge delivered the decision Friday in aclosed court, said reporter JackHewson, in Jakarta covering the storyfor CBC News.

Hutapeabrought the written decisionto amedia scrum and read back the findings not guiltybased on the revisions of the evidence against both men,Hewsonsaid.

"TracyBantlemanandFerdinantTjiong's wifeSiskaboth joinedHotmanParis [Hutapea]to announce the verdict. They were both extremely emotionaladdressing the crowd of journalists,"Hewsonsaid.

"Tracy saidjustice had finally been served and their husbands would be coming back to them where they belonged. She then broke down in tears."

Bantleman'sbrother,GuyBantleman, who lives in Burlington,told CBC News late Thursdayevening eastern time that he had received confirmationthe convictions hadbeen overturned.

"We are working to understand next steps to have Neil andFerdireleased in the next 12 hours," GuyBantlemanhad said. Bantleman told the CBC that late Thursday evening, his brother'slawyers had receiveda letter saying the decisionhad been overturned.

Bantleman said his brother could be home in Canada as early as mid-September. For now, Neil Bantlemanand his wife Tracy, will spend time together away from the media for at least the next three days.

GuyBantleman said he is not sure if the prosecutor will appeal the decision.

Men always maintained innocence

NeilBantleman and Tjionghavealwaysmaintained their innocence,supported by fellow teachers and the principal at the Jakarta International School, now called the Jakarta Intercultural School. It'sattended by children of foreign diplomats, expatriates and Indonesia's elite, andhas 2,400 students aged three to 18 from about 60countries.

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Bantleman, who used to teach at the Webber Academyin Calgary, has been behind bars in Jakarta since 2014 when the allegations were made.

NanMcKellar, who worked in Calgary withBantleman, said she was "so happy" with the news.

"You know what, at our rally a month ago, down at city hall, there was no conception, no idea that this could happen this soon," she said. "Oh my gosh.

"You would only have to be in a room with Neil for a minute to knowhe is the most upstanding straightforward, no pretension, nothing hiding kind of person you will ever meet. None of us ever had a doubtfor even a second," she added.

Hutapea has said the rape claims were all about money.

The principal and a number of other teachers have alleged the same about the case. The parents of one of the children had sued the school for alleged negligence and were seeking $125 million in compensation.

Civil case thrown out

Buton Monday, the same district court threw out the civil case brought by the mother of one of the children, saying it had not proven that any of the alleged abuses had actually taken place. New evidence from medical reports from three different hospitals in Jakarta and Singapore showed no major injuries or abnormalities in the three children.

The decision came after a court in Singapore on July 16 ruled that thewoman accusing Bantleman had defamed him, Tjiong and the school because the allegations of sexual abuse could not be proven, and ordered the parent to pay a total of $164,700 in damages.

The case was brought in Singapore by Bantleman's family because the initial allegations were made in Singapore through emails, texts and otherdigital communications.

Hutapea said both decisions had an impact on the higher court's decision to free Bantleman and Tjiong. The arrests of Bantleman and Tjiong in July last year followed reports from the parents of a six-year-old boy who hadbeen sodomized three months earlier.

Four male janitors were sentenced to eight years in jail in that case, while a woman received seven years as an accomplice. Police said a sixth suspect killed himself in custody by drinking bathroom cleaner.