Batam Prosecutor's Office Clarifies Apology Over Death Sentence Demand for Sea Dragon Crew Member Fandi
Public prosecutor Muhammad Arfian from Batam’s District Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari) presented an apology during a public hearing session (RDPU) held before Parliament’s Commission III in Jakarta on Wednesday 11 March.
Arfian was the public prosecutor who demanded a death sentence against Fandi Ramadhan, a crew member (ABK) of the Sea Dragon vessel, who faced charges of smuggling approximately 2 tonnes of narcotics. During proceedings at Batam District Court some time ago, he had made remarks perceived as criticism towards Commission III, which was believed to have intervened in the case.
Separately, Batam’s District Prosecutor’s Office clarified information regarding Prosecutor Arfian’s apology during the meeting with Parliament’s Commission III.
Priandi Firdaus, Head of the Intelligence Section at Batam’s District Prosecutor’s Office, stated that the apology was explicitly not related to the death sentence demanded for defendant Fandi Ramadhan, but rather concerned statements made whilst reading the prosecution’s closing argument (replik) during the continuation of the trial.
“The apology statement was intended to clarify the prosecution’s statement made whilst reading the closing argument at Batam District Court some time ago. We have submitted an apology should that statement have caused any misunderstanding,” said Priandi on Thursday 12 March.
Priandi explained that the prosecutor’s statement in the closing argument had made references to community figures and Parliament’s Commission III concerning allegations of intervention in the law enforcement process.
He clarified that the statement in the closing argument was not intended to offend any party.
“The Prosecutor’s Office continues to respect Parliament’s oversight function, including Commission III’s role in monitoring law enforcement in Indonesia,” he said.
Priandi also emphasised that criminal sentences in a case fall within the authority of the public prosecutor, which is formulated based on trial facts, evidence, and applicable legal provisions.
“The Prosecutor’s Office remains committed to carrying out law enforcement duties in a professional and objective manner, whilst upholding the principles of independence and accountability in every case,” he said.
Earlier, during the Commission III Parliament hearing with Batam’s District Prosecutor’s Office, Prosecutor Arfian apologised regarding the case of the death sentence demand for Fandi Ramadhan, a crew member from Medan who became entangled in a case involving smuggling 1.9 tonnes of methamphetamine.
“We, Prosecutor Muhammad Arfian, wish to convey most sincerely and deeply our apology for our errors in yesterday’s trial,” Arfian stated during the Commission III Parliament hearing in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.
Arfian acknowledged that he had received sanctions from the Deputy Attorney General for Supervision (Jamwas). He stated this would serve as material for evaluation.
“Subsequently, we have undergone examination and been found at fault by the Deputy Attorney General for Supervision and have already been given or subjected to disciplinary punishment,” he said.
Responding to the prosecutor’s apology, Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman also forgave the prosecutor for the death sentence demand previously given to Fandi. He expressed hope that the prosecutor would improve in future.
“Colleagues, regarding our brother Muhammad Arfian, this case is closed, we forgive, and we hope that this young man will be able to learn, be wiser and advance his career in the future,” he said.
In the case, Fandi was subsequently sentenced to five years imprisonment in the narcotics smuggling case involving approximately 2 tonnes of drugs.
The judge stated that Fandi Ramadhan had been proven beyond reasonable doubt to have committed criminal conspiracy without authority or contrary to law, acting as an intermediary in the sale and purchase of narcotics from Group I, not plant-based substances weighing more than 5 grammes, as charged in the prosecution’s primary indictment.
“We therefore sentence the defendant Fandi to imprisonment for five years,” the judge said when reading the verdict at Batam District Court on Thursday 5 March.