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t a press conference in an air-conditioned auditorium at Jakarta International School (JIS), Hotman Paris Hutapea, the lawyer representing the two teaching staff suspected of the molestation and rape of kindergarden pupils at the school, reiterated his protests against the Jakarta Police'€™s decision to detain the two prior to their trial.

He was joined by Tracy Bantleman, the wife of Canadian Neil Bantleman, and Sisca Tjiong, the wife of Indonesian Ferdinant Tjiong, who both denounced the detention as they tried to hold back their tears.

'€œAlthough I respect the law and the police [in Indonesia] and what they are trying to do in this investigation, I must question why my husband is being detained and why Ferdinant is being detained,'€ said Tracy.

Both Bantleman and Ferdinant were taken into pre-trial custody by the police on July 14, allegedly to prevent them from leaving the country or destroying evidence related to the case. '€œThey have not given us any evidence why my husband and Ferdinant are being detained,'€ Tracy added.

In an official statement made on Wednesday, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Dwi Priyatno said new findings had unearthed proof that the two JIS employees had drugged kindergarten pupils before sexually assaulting them.

'€œ[The victims] were given a chemical substance that made them feel numb and unconscious. The substance is called '€˜magic stone'€™,'€ said Dwi in a statement at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta.

After the press release, he added that disobedient (kindergarten) pupils who were sent to classes on improving their behavior had eventually become victims.

However, Hotman, in addition to both Sisca and Tracy, said the claims were unsubstantial due to a lack
of proof.

'€œIf you are accused of murder, the police will show you the knife or the gun. My clients have not been shown any evidence,'€ said Hotman during the press conference.

He went on to say that the police had '€œstepped over the line'€ by spreading such allegations in the media despite lacking evidence.

In addition, the two wives and Hotman said the police had not once inquired about the possible use of drugs in last week'€™s questioning of the teachers.

'€œThey never asked about the evidence [pills]. They only asked about their time at JIS, their performance at the school. as well as '€˜did you do it?'€™'€ said Hotman.

Dwi dismissed Hotman'€™s accusation, saying the arrests were based on the testimony of both the witnesses and victims, lab checks and other evidence.

Both Tracy and Sisca spoke of the '€œgood character and track records'€ of their husbands and reiterated their innocence.

'€œBesides working at JIS, Ferdinant opened a private [academic] course for first and fourth grade students. All of them were boys, but nothing happened,'€ said Sisca.

Tracy appealed to both the police and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to release Bantleman and Ferdinant. '€œI ask the police to release them so they can be with us. We'€™re not going to leave,'€ Tracy said.

In his statement, Dwi assured the police'€™s fair treatment of the teachers during their detainment and added that the suspects could apply for a '€œdetention suspension
request'€.

Earlier, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said the accusations faced by the teachers were related to all three victims who had come forward to the police.

Rikwanto said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com that the Jakarta Police would subject the suspects to a lie detection test.

'€œWe have done a psychological examination, a lab test at Kramat Jati Police Hospital [in East Jakarta] and next will be a lie detection test,'€ Rikwanto went on.

'€” Josh Kelety is an intern at The Jakarta Post