Chromebook Corruption Case: Ibam's Sentence Increased to 5 Years in Prison

The Jakarta High Court has increased the criminal sentence against former Technology Consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), Ibrahim Arief, also known as Ibam, in connection with the Chromebook corruption case, raising his prison term from four years to five years.

Presiding Judge Catur Irianto stated that the sentence was increased because the appellate panel considered the punishment imposed by the first-instance court to be inadequate, unjust, and not reflective of a balance between the level of Ibam’s wrongdoing and the objectives of sentencing.

“The appeal requests from the public prosecutor and the defendant’s advocate are accepted. The ruling of the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court dated 12 May 2026, which was appealed, is amended with regard to the principal sentence and the additional penalty of restitution,” said the presiding judge during the verdict hearing at the Jakarta High Court on Monday.

Nevertheless, the fine imposed on Ibam remains at Rp500 million, with the provision that if it is not paid, it will be replaced by 140 days of imprisonment, a slight increase from the previous 120 days.

However, the appellate panel also increased Ibam’s punishment by imposing an additional penalty of restitution amounting to Rp5 billion, with a substitute sentence of four years in prison.

Before delivering the verdict, the panel considered several aggravating and mitigating circumstances. The aggravating factor was that Ibam’s actions were deemed not to support the government’s programme to eradicate corruption.

“Meanwhile, the mitigating circumstances are that the defendant behaved politely during the trial, has never been convicted before, and has family dependents,” said the presiding judge.

In the alleged corruption case involving the education digitalisation programme, specifically the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within Kemendikbudristek from 2019 to 2022, Ibam was found guilty of procuring information and communication technology-based learning facilities in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM.

The procurement was deemed inconsistent with procurement planning and various procurement principles, resulting in state losses totalling Rp5.26 trillion in the case.

Accordingly, he was found guilty of violating Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption, as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) point 1 of the Criminal Code.