Suspects in Jakarta school sex abuse scandal face 15 years jail

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A janitor who worked at one of Indonesia’s most prestigious international schools was charged in court on Tuesday, August 26, with abusing a 6-year-old boy and could face up to 15 years in jail. 

Agun Iskandar, 25, is the first of 5 to be charged in the scandal at the Jakarta International School (JIS), an institution that has been a favorite with expatriates in the capital for more than 60 years. The scandal began when a parent alleged in April that outsourced cleaning staff sexually assaulted her son inside a school restroom.

A lawyer for the alleged victim called for the janitors to be punished harshly. “The victim and family want the most severe, maximum punishment because it was a barbaric, insolent act,” Andi Asrun told reporters before the trial started at the South Jakarta District Court.

The prosecutor, Rahimah, told state news agency Antara that under Indonesia’s child protection laws, Agun faced 3-15 years in jail if found guilty.

In the wake of the publicity surrounding the scandal, activists have launched an online petition to amend the law and increase the punishment for child abusers to 15 years to life imprisonment. The petition has so far gathered more than 82,000 signatures. In June, Fellma Panjaitan, the originator of the petition, said lawmakers have agreed to begin discussions on the amendments.

‘Client is innocent’

However, Mada Rajendra Mardanus, a lawyer for Agun, insisted his client was innocent. The janitors’ legal team have previously said police beat confessions out of some of them.

“There is no strong evidence to support their case. This case has been forced,” Mardanus told AFP ahead of the trial. “Agun is disappointed because his freedom has been snatched away from him.”

Saut Rajagukguk, another defense lawyer, also asked that the trial be opened to the public. “The trial should be open and transparent, so that the public can see for themselves,” he told Antara. 

The other janitors accused of assaulting the youngster are set to be indicted at the start of their trials on Wednesday, August 27.

A 6th janitor was implicated in the case but died in custody, with police saying he committed suicide by drinking floor-cleaning fluid.

Since the first allegation, the scandal has snowballed, with more parents making abuse claims, a Canadian staff member accused and the revelation that a suspected serial pedophile sought by the FBI had taught at the school for a decade.

In addition to the cleaning staff, abuse claims have also been made against Canadian Neil Bantleman, an administrator at the school, and Indonesian teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong. The pair have been in custody since mid-July while police investigate their cases.

The school has said it was cooperating with the investigation into the janitors, but has denied the accusations against its teaching staff. It commissioned an investigation that it said showed no evidence of the alleged abuse. 

The family of one boy allegedly abused has also filed a civil suit against the school seeking $125 million in damages. – with a report from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com