October 25, 2011
JAKARTA (AFP) - An Australian male teacher suspected of raping three former pupils has been extradited to Indonesia where he faces a 15-year jail term if convicted, police said Monday.
The suspect, 55-year-old Peter Dundas Walbran, worked as a teacher at the Australian International School in Jakarta, according to Indonesia's justice and human rights ministry.
In 2007, three male students alleged Walbran had raped them more than once, promising them pocket money and waiving their tuition fees, according to Indonesian police special crimes deputy head Tommy Watiliu.
Walbran was extradited Friday and is being investigated by police.
"Indonesia and Australia have an extradition treaty. After considering that and other legal issues, an Australian court decided to extradite him," Watiliu said.
"The three victims are now around 18 years old and are recovering psychologically," Watiliu added, without disclosing the boys' nationalities.
Local media reported the alleged abuse occurred in Jakarta as well as the tourist haven of Bali and the island of Lombok, where the man will face court.
The man moved to Indonesia in 1990 and returned to Australia in 2007.
"The suspect... has been a fugitive since 2007, and the ministry of justice and human rights have requested his extradition since 2008," the ministry said on its website.
Australian police arrested Walbran in March 2010 as he tried to flee the country, the ministry said.
Walbran is accused of child rape as well as offences under Indonesia's child protection law, which states violence against children or coercing them into "obscene acts" is punishable by 15 years' imprisonment.
Police denied the extradition was part of a swap deal in which Indonesia would send home Australians locked up for drug possession or trafficking, including a teenage boy currently detained without charge for marijuana possession.
"No, this is nothing to do with that. This case is simply based on an extradition agreement with Australia," Watiliu said.
