Defence Lawyers and Supporters Call for Acquittal of Nadiem Makarim, Citing Irregularities
The trial regarding the alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebooks at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology has resumed, with the agenda focusing on the reading of the plea (pledoi) by the defendant, former Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim, and his legal counsel.
Nadiem’s legal team presented a defence that firmly denies any loss to state finances, while highlighting various anomalies in the indictments made by the Public Prosecutor. The trial was attended by public figures, social activists, and hundreds of supporters, including online motorcycle taxi drivers and teachers, who are demanding justice for the former minister.
“The most important aspect of this case is that the element of state loss simply cannot exist. If someone is accused of corruption when they have not committed it, it is criminalisation,” stated Nadiem’s defence lawyer, Dodi S. Abdulkadir, during the proceedings on Tuesday.
The defence team presented several key points to refute the prosecution’s construction of the case. The trial revealed the existence of guarantee letters from vendors or principals, as acknowledged by the Chairman of the LKPP (National Agency for Public Procurement). These letters guarantee that if prices are found to be inflated, the vendors are obligated to return the difference to the state, making the element of state loss impossible.
Furthermore, the defence presented a former Chairman of the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK) as an expert auditor, who invalidated the 2025 Chromebook Audit Result Report (LHA) as the sole evidence of state loss. The defence argued that the report was legally and methodologically flawed, alleging it manipulated calculations to create an impression of inflated prices, whereas in reality, the laptops were purchased below market price.
Another critical point in the defence is the allegation that Chromebook procurement was organised via private WhatsApp groups. The legal team asserted that this is a fictitious narrative, as trial facts show that the selection of Chromebooks was based on technical studies, where Nadiem actually chose packages that saved the state budget by tens of millions of rupiah per unit compared to other options.
Ari Yusuf Amir, another member of the legal team, added that testimonies from Google representatives and teachers across Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua, confirmed there was no conflict of interest and that the devices are being utilised optimally.
The irregularities in the case have also drawn attention from public figures. Actor and social activist Andovi da Lopez, who attended the trial, stated that the public needs to understand the full context of the Chromebook case to avoid being misled by fragmented news reports.
Outside the courtroom, a wave of support from the grassroots continues to grow. Hundreds of Gojek drivers and teacher representatives attended to monitor the legal process. Mulyono, a coordinator for the Gojek group, stated that their presence was an expression of gratitude, noting that Nadiem has been a figure of economic change for them. He emphasised that trial facts show Nadiem received no illicit funds.
Nadiem Makarim has expressed his hope for a full acquittal. “My only hope from the panel of judges is a full acquittal. There is no other option,” Nadiem told the media. He maintains that the facts presented in court prove his innocence. Nadiem is a defendant in the alleged corruption case involving the education digitalisation programme for Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM) between 2019 and 2022. He faces a prison sentence of 18 years, a fine of Rp1 billion, and a replacement sum of Rp5.67 trillion.