Fandi's Mother Weeps Before Hotman Paris, Denies Son's Involvement in 2-Tonne Methamphetamine Case
Tears filled the room as lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea met with the parents of Fandi Ramadan, a crew member now facing the death penalty for allegedly smuggling 1,995,130 grams — approximately 2 tonnes — of methamphetamine in Batam waters. Fandi’s mother could not contain her grief as she recounted her son’s plight.
“My hope is that my son be set free. To the presiding judge, the prosecutors, the President — please help my son. He did not know what was in that cargo,” said Fandi’s mother, Nirwana (48), at a press conference alongside Hotman Paris in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, on Friday (20 February 2026).
Nirwana explained that she and her husband had raised Fandi on the earnings of a fisherman’s livelihood. She insisted her son had no connection whatsoever to any narcotics network, adding that he knew nothing about the vessel’s cargo.
“He told me, ‘If I had known what this was, Captain, I would never have dared to go. There’s no way I would have agreed.’ He said, ‘You must take responsibility for me, Captain. You brought me this far and I knew nothing about it. My parents entrusted me to you in good faith, Captain, and this is what you’ve done to me,’” Nirwana recounted.
Nirwana revealed that her son was the family’s sole breadwinner and their greatest hope. Fandi regularly set aside a portion of his wages to help support his five younger siblings.
“He was our hope, our family’s pride, our backbone. His father’s aspirations for him were so great, and he even supported his siblings — his salary was only 2.5 million rupiah, yet before boarding the Thai vessel he sent money to me to help pay for his siblings’ schooling,” she said.
For this reason, Nirwana said she could not accept that her son faced the death penalty for something he did not do. She even declared her willingness to take her son’s place before the law.
“I cannot accept my son being sentenced to death. He did not know what that cargo was and was not involved in any narcotics network. I do not want my son executed — let me take his place! I am willing to do so for my son,” she said, her voice trembling.
Nirwana then appealed for help from President Prabowo Subianto, expressing her hope that justice would prevail for her son.
“That is why I am pleading with the President, with Mr Prabowo — please help me. I am a person of no means, a person in hardship. Where else can I turn for help but to him? He is my only hope. To the presiding judge, I plead that my son is not guilty and had no knowledge of that cargo. I no longer know what else I can do to reach my son or what more I can say,” she said.
Nirwana then recounted the chronology of Fandi’s arrest aboard the vessel Sea Dragon. Fandi had initially departed for Thailand on 1 May 2025 and stayed at a hotel for approximately 10 days whilst waiting for the vessel to be readied.
On 13 May 2025, Fandi, along with the captain and the rest of the crew, boarded the vessel to commence work. On 18 May 2025, a fishing boat pulled alongside the Sea Dragon at sea and offloaded 67 boxes suspected to contain methamphetamine.
The interception by Customs and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) took place on 21 May 2025 in the waters off Tanjung Balai Karimun. At that point, Fandi had only been actively working on the vessel for a matter of days before his arrest.
The case is set to continue with the reading of the defence plea on the coming Monday at Batam District Court.
According to the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) of Batam District Court, as of Friday (20 February), proceedings commenced on 23 October 2025. The case, registered under number 863/Pid.Sus/2025/PN Btm, continues to progress through the courts.
In the indictment, prosecutors stated that the narcotics trafficking was carried out by Fandi together with Hasiholan Samosir, Leo Chandra Samosir, Richard Halomoan Tambunan, Teerapong Lekpradub, and Weerapat Phongwan alias Mr Pong. Meanwhile, another suspect, Mr Tan alias Jacky Tan, has been placed on the wanted list.