DPR Member Criticises Prosecutors for Overlooking Key Factors in Death Sentence Demand for Sea Dragon Crew Member

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Martin Tumbelaka, has stated that prosecutors from the Batam Prosecutor’s Office overlooked several factors that should have been considered before demanding the death penalty for Fandi Ramadan, a crew member of the Sea Dragon vessel that was carrying approximately 2 tons of methamphetamine.

Based on his observations, Martin stated that Fandi was not the mastermind or initiator of the drug smuggling case. This means that Fandi did not have any authority.

“There is something that we need to investigate from the prosecutors. Why did they suddenly demand the death penalty for the crew member without considering the factors that should have been taken into account?” Martin said during a meeting with Fandi Ramadan’s legal counsel at the parliament complex in Jakarta, Thursday.

According to him, the prosecutor’s indictment stated that Fandi “did not inspect and did not reject” the illegal goods when he was a crew member.

However, based on his position and role, he said that Fandi did not have the capacity to reject the goods from being loaded onto the ship.

These factors should have been considered by the prosecutors before imposing the death penalty on the defendant.

It is important to ensure that the death penalty does not disrupt the chain of investigation, which should lead to the main perpetrators.

Martin was also surprised that the crew member was being charged with the maximum penalty, while the mastermind of the case has not yet been caught.

“It is possible that he is part of them to break the chain,” he said.

Previously, the public prosecutor from the Batam Prosecutor’s Office, Riau Islands, stated that they would still demand the death penalty for six crew members of the Sea Dragon Terawa, which was carrying almost 2 tons of methamphetamine.

This statement was made by the public prosecutor during the hearing on the prosecutor’s response to the defendant’s plea (replication) at the Batam District Court on Wednesday (February 25).

“In principle, we as the public prosecutor will remain with the criminal charges that have been read on Thursday, February 5, 2026,” said public prosecutor Muhammad Arfian during the trial.