The prestigious Jakarta International School, where children of expats, diplomats and Indonesia's wealthy families study, is at the center of controversy over two male teachers who were convicted for sodomizing three pre-school male students.

The incidents or anal sex allegedly happened between January 2013 and March 2014, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. What is puzzling here is the parents' support for Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman and Indonesian teacher's aide Ferdinand Tjiong who were sentenced 10 years prison term despite the court conviction.

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Their supporters showed up at the South Jakarta district court in white clothing. After the judge gave the verdict, Bantleman, 45, said he would appeal the decision which led his backers to scream and cheer the embattled married teacher.

Even U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake believes there are serious questions regarding the investigative process and the apparent lack of evidence against the two teachers.

"The outcome of the legal process and what it reveals about the rule of law in Indonesia will have a significant impact on Indonesia's reputation abroad," Blake said.

Defense lawyers argued there is insufficient evidence. They also said the parents of the children are only after money since one of them filed a separate lawsuit against the school, seeking damage of US$125 million.

The Canadian teacher allegedly inserted a "magic stone" into the anus of one of his victims to serve as anesthesia so the boy would not feel pain when he inserted his organ inside the boy's anus. The victim claimed he felt number from his buttocks to the back of his thighs, but he still felt something being inserted into his rectum.

However, Bantleman's behavior also gives some credence to the claim despite his lawyer saying the magic stone was a fantasy. The teacher told the court the boy was naughty and deserved to be punished.

He said that before he allegedly raped the child. He also allegedly threatened to kill the child's mother if the victim told anyone what happened.

Chief Judge Nur Aslam Bustaman also questioned where does Bantleman release his sexual desire, leading to suspicions he molested the pupils, after sex counsellor Dr Naek Tobing provided proof that the teacher had sex with his wife only once a week, as against the average of twice of thrice a week, and he does not masturbate.

Tobing added that the presence of bacteria in the child's anus is proof a penis had entered it.

Hotman Paris Hutapea, the lawyer of Bantleman, argued that an examination at a Singapore hospital of one of the victims showed he was not sodomized.

Besides Tijong who was found guilty of raping the same three boys in a campus toilet, five cleaners of the school were given up to eight year sentences in December for also sexually abusing a male child.

Bustaman disclosed that she and the other judges receives threats from supporters of the teachers, which gives credence to the claim of the victims.

Tagspreschool teachers, sodomy, Rape, preschool students, Jakarta, Jakarta International School