Canadian man detained for up to 40 more days in Indonesia: family
Posted August 1, 2014 1:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Indonesian authorities will detain a Canadian teacher for up to 40 more days on allegations of child sexual assault, according to his family.
Neil Bantleman, 45, was working as a learning co-ordinator at the Jakarta International School, a prestigious school popular with expatriate families.
Bantleman’s arrest stemmed from a Jakarta police investigation into the alleged sexual assault of three kindergarten students at the school, local media reports said. He was detained along with teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong, who is Indonesian.
Bantleman’s brother Guy told CityNews in an email the Indonesian authorities were extending the detention of the men into the next 40-day period. Indonesian law allows police to hold someone without charges for up to 60 days, but the case must be reviewed after 20 days.
“The latest update from Indonesia is not the news we wanted,” wrote Bantleman.
“Information is just coming in, and we are talking with our solicitor and other officials and still trying to completely understand this development.”
Bantleman is receiving Canadian consular services.
His brother said he will be meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
With files from Canadian Press and Amanda Ferguson
