Chromebook Corruption Case: Irregularities in $786 Million Investment Revealed

Wed, 25 Feb 2026, 15:57 WIB | By | Source: DETAKKALTIM.COM | Economy

DETAKKaltim.Com, JAKARTA: The panel of judges at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) of the Central Jakarta District Court continued the trial of the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of Chromebooks at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) for the 2019-2022 period on Tuesday (24/2/2026).

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) in Press Release Number: PR – 071/028/K.3/Kph.3/02/2026, received by DETAKKaltim.Com through the Head of the Legal Information Center of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, explained that Public Prosecutor (JPU) Roy Riady gave a press statement after the continuation of the trial.

During the trial, the prosecutor responded to the statement of witness Khusnul Khotimah from Advan, who had doubts about the signature in the Minutes of Examination (BAP) in 2025. To maintain transparency, the prosecutor requested that the physical evidence of the BAP be shown directly in front of the panel of judges.

Based on the confirmation in court, the witness finally confirmed that the signature was hers. The prosecutor emphasized that the investigation process had been carried out according to procedure, where the witness was examined in July 2025 with the assistance of a legal counsel, so the witness’s statement claiming that she only signed the BAP in 2023 was considered unfounded.

The facts of the trial also highlighted the role of PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Banga (AKAB) or the parent company of GoTo and the involvement of foreign capital in the ecosystem of this project. The prosecutor explained that there were irregularities in the recording of an investment worth 786 million dollars, which was only recorded as a few billion rupiah in domestic records.

In his statement, prosecutor Roy Riady revealed a pattern of relationships called “mutual symbiosis” between PT AKAB and Google Indonesia.

The prosecutor said that this business synergy provides benefits for both parties through the utilization of the digital ecosystem. PT AKAB plays a significant role in increasing Google’s business growth by integrating Google services such as Google Maps and various other features into their applications, which are widely used by the public.

In return for the use of this technology, PT AKAB receives benefits in the form of a 20% cashback for every use of Google services or features by the public through their platform. On the other hand, Google receives sustainable income from service fees paid by PT AKAB.

However, the prosecutor highlighted a contradictory financial irregularity. Although receiving a 20% cashback, PT AKAB was reported to continue to experience operational losses. This is allegedly due to the burden of monthly installment payments to Google Indonesia, which reaches millions of dollars.

Based on the testimony of notary Jose, it was found that the process of the General Meeting of Shareholders (RUPS) was carried out in a circular manner without any underlying agreement for the large investment.

Furthermore, the prosecutor highlighted a surprising statement from the operational finance department stating that a company as large as GoTo does not have Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or standard rules regarding financial management. This is considered unusual for a large corporation and is suspected of being a loophole for irregularities.

The prosecutor revealed indications of a scheme where the company continues to show operational losses, but on the other hand, there is an increase in the value of shares that benefits certain individuals, including shareholders such as the Defendant Nadiem Makarim, who is said to have benefited from the increase in valuation.

“We want to ensure that this legal process runs transparently. It is very unusual if a large company that manages millions of dollars in funds claims not to have financial SOPs. We will continue to pursue the facts related to the mechanism of this investment irregularity to prove the state’s losses,” said prosecutor Roy Riady.