Canadian and teaching assistant on trial in Indonesia on sex abuse charges

A Canadian and an Indonesian teaching assistant went on trial yesterday accused of sexually assaulting children at a prestigious Jakarta school, the most high-profile court cases so far in a long-running affair.

Neil Bantleman and Ferdinand Tjiong deny committing abuse at the Jakarta International School, which has long been favoured by expatriates and wealthy Indonesians in the capital but is now facing the worst crisis in its 60-year history.

They are the most prominent figures caught up in a wide-ranging issue that has also seen cleaning staff accused of raping a young boy and the revelation that a suspected serial paedophile sought by the FBI used to teach at the school.

Bantleman and Tjiong, who face up to 15 years in jail if found guilty, have received strong support from parents, many of whom believe they are innocent. Supporters turned up outside court yesterday waving banners that read "Free Neil and Ferdi".

"We are innocent," Bantleman, a 46-year-old school administrator, told journalists from a holding cell at the court in the Indonesian capital before his trial.

As he entered court, Tjiong said: "I have come here to prove the truth, to end this slander."

"It's hard to believe that this case has managed to get this far," the Canadian's wife, Tracy Bantleman, said outside court, adding that the allegations against her husband were "ridiculous" and "illogical".