Mother’s lawsuit thrown out in Bantleman case

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A multimillion dollar lawsuit against the Indonesian school that Burlington’s Neil Bantleman taught at has been thrown out.

In giving his reasons, a judge told a packed courtroom that the charges are not clear, and the evidence presented was not enough to prove wrongdoing on the part of the school.

The suit had been filed by a parent who claimed her son had been sexually abused on school property.

The case raises hope for an appeal of the sentences against two teachers, including Burlington’s Neil Bantleman.  The 46-year-old has been behind bars since being charged over a year ago, and was sentenced to ten years in April in a criminal case that international observers said was filled with irregularities. That sentence is under appeal.

A lawyer for the Jakarta Intercultural (formerly International) School says he hopes today’s ruling will have a positive impact on the teachers’ appeals.

Indonesia’s judicial system is often considered one of the least credible institutions in the country.

Earlier this year a court in Singapore found the mother of the alleged victim had defamed Bantleman, teaching assistant Ferdinant Tjiong and the school.