Batam (ANTARA) \u2014 The Batam District Court in the Riau Islands held\ndefence plea hearings on Monday for six defendants charged with\ntransporting nearly two tonnes of narcotics using the vessel Sea\nDragon.<\/p>\n
Batam District Court spokesman Vabienes Stuart Wattimena said the\npanel of judges heard the defence pleas read out in turn for all six\ndefendants.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday the six defendants delivered their pledoi, or defence pleas,\nthrough their respective legal counsel. The hearing began at 15.30\nWestern Indonesian Time, was recessed for the breaking of the fast, and\nresumed at 19.30 until 20.47,\u201d Wattimena said.<\/p>\n
He noted that the hearing was presided over by a panel of judges\nchaired by Tiwik, with Douglas R.P. Napitupulu and Randi Jastian Afandi\nserving as member judges.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing the defence pleas, the next hearing will be the\nprosecution\u2019s response to the defendants\u2019 pledoi \u2014 the reply and\nrejoinder. After that, law enforcement will respond to the prosecution,\nand then the panel of judges will be given the opportunity to adjourn to\ndeliberate and prepare their verdict,\u201d Wattimena said.<\/p>\n
The first defence pleas were delivered by two Thai nationals,\nTeerapong Lekpradube and Weerepat Phongwan. They were followed by Fandi\nRamadhan and three other crew members \u2014 Richard Halomoan, Leo Candra\nSamosir, and Hasiholan Samosir.<\/p>\n
In their pledoi, read out by their legal counsel, the two foreign\nnationals argued that the defendants did not satisfy the element of\ncriminal intent (mens rea) and had no involvement in nor intention to\npossess or control the narcotics.<\/p>\n
The defendants asked the panel of judges to consider imposing the\nfairest possible sentence.<\/p>\n
Defendant Fandi Ramadhan also delivered his defence, stating that he\nhad no knowledge whatsoever of the cargo that was transferred at sea\nrather than at a port.<\/p>\n
Fandi also revealed his background, describing how he came from a\npoor family as the son of a fisherman who wished to change his family\u2019s\ncircumstances by studying maritime navigation in the hope of working on\nships to earn an honest living.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old said he had neither the authority, the power, nor the\nstanding to question the captain about why the cargo was being\ntransferred at sea or what it contained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that question from the prosecutor means I must face a death\nsentence, then give me the time to explain myself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After the defence pleas were read, the panel of judges adjourned the\nhearing to Wednesday (25 February), when the prosecution\u2019s response is\nscheduled to be heard.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/batam-district-court-hears-defence-pleas-of-defendants-in-2-tonne-methamphetamine-case-1771898349", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }