Ibam, Former Subordinate of Nadiem, Cries While Reading Plea: What Is My Sin Against Indonesia?

The defendant in the alleged corruption case concerning the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM), Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, has requested to be acquitted of the charges and prosecution in the matter. Ibam considers his designation as a suspect to be a form of criminalisation that was forced upon him.

“In the face of a 22.5-year prison demand and efforts to impoverish my family, I dare to state loudly that yes, this is criminalisation. Criminalisation against me and all professionals who wish to help the state,” said Ibam while reading his personal plea at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (23/4/2026).

“I am not guilty. I was arrested and forced to become a suspect from various allegations without evidence, which ultimately were not proven. I consider all this to be an additional price that I and my family must pay for our sacrifices for the country so far,” he added.

Ibam believes there is no evidence that he gained personal profit in this case. He stated that there is also no evidence showing that the input and advice he provided as a consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) was due to a conflict of interest.

“I return to my initial question, Your Honour, what is my sin against Indonesia? I hope the Honourable Panel of Judges can rule me not guilty and restore my dignity and honour after all this time I have struggled to clear my name,” he said.

Ibam cried while reading this plea. He said his first child, who has special needs, was forced to stop therapy since this case began.

“If the Panel of Judges still decides to sentence me to prison, my family will lose our income; my wife is a housewife, and our two daughters are still in kindergarten and primary school,” he said.

Ibam also quoted Hadith Tirmidhi 2174 in his personal plea reading. Ibam feels there are irregularities in his case.

“From the beginning, I felt the process I faced was full of irregularities. I was searched on 23 May 2025, at which time I had never been called as a witness at all. When I was searched, and when I was called for the first examination two weeks later, my position and role were written, stated, and announced as a Special Staff to the Minister, not as a consultant as it should have been,” said Ibam.

Ibam stated that there were no directives from former Minister of Education Nadiem Anwar Makarim or Najelaa Shihab to direct the Chromebook procurement. He claimed to have received verbal intimidation before being designated as a suspect.

“A few weeks later, the irregularities I felt increased when on 24 June 2025, I was contacted by an information intermediary who verbally conveyed that he was asked by someone in the ongoing investigation process to tell me to make a statement ‘pointing upwards’ and if I refused, the case ‘would be expanded’,” said Ibam.

“That verbal conveyance was accompanied by the words ‘please tell him, I feel sorry for Mas Ibam, when we searched his house I could see the medicines piling up and he is sickly’, which became a clue for me that the message truly came from someone who had participated in searching my house at that time,” he added.

Ibam claimed he returned to Indonesia and became a consultant at Kemendikbudristek to serve the country. He believes the criminalisation against him began even before his designation as a suspect and continues to this day.

“A few weeks later, on 15 July 2025, I was forcibly picked up even though I had heart disease, even though I had requested a postponement for the first time, even though I had a scheduled heart catheter procedure two days later, and I was made a suspect. Honourable Panel of Judges, this is something very heavy for me to say,” said Ibam.

“However, the 22.5-year prison demand and billions of rupiah make me realise that the criminalisation that occurred even before I became a suspect continues to this day,” he concluded.

In the hearing held on Thursday (16/4), Ibam was demanded 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp 1 billion subsidiary 190 days’ imprisonment. The prosecutors also demanded that Ibam pay restitution of Rp 16.92 billion subsidiary 7 years and 6 months’ imprisonment.

The prosecutors believe Ibam is guilty of violating Article 603 jo. Article 20 of the Criminal Code jo Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001.