In March 2014, the mother of a kindergarten child attending the Jakarta Intercultural School in Indonesia claimed that her son had been raped by school janitorial staff during the school day. Six outsourced cleaning staff were arrested. Four men, who did not have legal counsel, were forced to sign confessions, the lone female, who had legal counsel, did not confess. One of the male cleaner’s died SUSPICIOUSLY during questioning (his death is currently being investigated as evidence of POLICE torture and tactics to EXTRACT CONFESSIONS has come to light) All the cleaner’s subsequently retracted their confessions in court. However, despite this, and a lack of concrete medical or forensic evidence to support the mother’s claim her son was raped, the cleaner’s were sentenced to 7-8 years in prison on December 22nd, 2014.

Before the cleaner’s trial even began, the allegations of abuse widened. At the same time the mother raised her lawsuit against JIS from $12.5 to $125 million USD. School administrator Neil Bantleman (Canadian), and assistant teacher Ferdinant Tijong (Indonesian) were named as additional suspects after the mother realized the school was not legally responsible for the alleged actions of outsourced employees. In her quest to secure monetary compensation for perceived abuse, she persuaded other parents to join her plan to extort money from the school. Implicating teachers in the case was her means to this end.

Bantleman and Tjiong were unlawfully detained in July 2014, held without charge for months, then convicted on April 2, 2015 after a four month judicial debacle. Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Appeals were filed. On August 10th, the High Court acquitted Neil and Ferdi and they were released from jail on August 14th. The civil case against the school (the mother seeking US$125 million) was rejected on August 10th but the mother appealed, albeit late, and the case is now being reviewed by the High Court.

Neil and Ferdi were not allowed to leave the country until the state prosecutors appealed their High Court acquittal to the Supreme Court. On February 24th, 2016 the Supreme Court decided to grant the prosecutor’s appeal and have re-sentenced Neil and Ferdi to 11 years in prison plus an additional fine.

Neil, Ferdi and the cleaners are INNOCENT, they have been wrongly accused! Neil and Ferdi are now back in prison alongside the cleaners who lost their appeal at the Supreme Court level. Together, their last hope is to file a Judicial Review in the pursuit of justice.

Inside this website you will find facts about the case, proof of their innocence, worldwide news coverage, the thousands of people worldwide showing their support, as well as a list of ways that you too can help in their fight. Please join the fight for their freedom.