Prosecutors demanded on Tuesday that the Denpasar District Court sentence Australian national Robert Andrew Fiddes Ellis, 70, to 16 years in prison for allegedly sexually abusing 11 Balinese children.

“The defendant’s acts have harmed the dignity of Indonesian children. His acts have damaged the future of those children,” prosecutor Anak Agung Alit Suastika told the court.

The prosecution team further said that Ellis’ crime had claimed a lot of victims, or 11 children, which was among the aggravating facts that could make his sentence heavier. “As an elderly man, he should protect children, but instead he repeatedly committed crimes against them,” Suastika said.

Given the facts, he said, the prosecution team demanded the court declare Ellis guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting children.

“We also demand the judges fine the defendant Rp 2 billion [US$151,670.40] or face an additional eight months in prison,” said Suastika.

Ellis has been charged with violating articles 76 and 82 of Law No. 35/2014 on child protection and Article 65 of the Criminal Code.

Ellis’ lawyer, Yanuar Nahak, said the prosecution’s demand was wrong because the maximum sentence stipulated in the articles was only 15 years.  

“Where did they [prosecutors] get an additional one year imprisonment in their sentence demand? As this is a mistake, the prosecutors’ demand should be declared null and void,” he said.  

The Bali Police arrested Ellis based on public reports in January. (ebf)