18-Year Sentence Demand Draws Attention: Prosecutors Rely on 'Go Ahead With Chromebook' Evidence, Nadiem Focuses on Recovery

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The demand for an 18-year prison sentence against former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Makarim in the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of Chromebook-based laptops has become a public focus.

During the sentencing hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday (13/5/2026), the public prosecutor (JPU) asserted that the case was built based on evidence, including documents and electronic evidence, which allegedly showed Nadiem’s direct involvement in the Chromebook procurement project at the Ministry of Education and Culture.

One of the points highlighted by the prosecutor was the statement “Go ahead with Chromebook,” which allegedly appeared in the discussion of the project.

The prosecutor also mentioned the alleged existence of a “shadow organization” within the ministry during the project.

After the sentencing demand, amidst the public’s reaction to the sentence, Nadiem is undergoing recovery after surgery.

Two days after the surgery, Nadiem’s lawyer, Dody Abdulkadir, stated that his client’s condition was improving, although he was still undergoing intensive care in the hospital.

During the sentencing hearing, JPU Roy Riady affirmed that the charges against Nadiem were based on evidence and facts presented during the trial, not on assumptions or public opinion.

Roy stated that the entire case was systematically constructed, starting from the indictment, witness testimony, expert opinions, audit documents, to electronic evidence and results of mobile phone forensics.

“People can lie, but electronic evidence cannot lie,” Roy said after the trial.

According to Roy, each legal fact must be supported by at least two pieces of related evidence.

He explained that the evidence could be in the form of witness testimony, documents, physical evidence, or expert opinions.

In the indictment, the prosecutor also highlighted the alleged direct involvement of Nadiem in the use of the Chrome OS operating system in the Chromebook procurement project within the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Roy stated that there was evidence in the form of documents and witness testimony regarding the direction of using Chromebooks in the project.