Ibrahim Arief Deems His Case Irregular from the Start, House Searched Before Becoming a Witness
Jakarta - Former technology consultant in the environment of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) Ibrahim Arief considers the alleged corruption case in the procurement of Chromebook-based laptops that ensnares him to be highly irregular.
Ibam, his familiar nickname, stated that the irregularities began from the investigation stage, where his house was searched in connection with this case when he had never been called as a witness.
“From the start, 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,” said Ibrahim while reading his personal plea at the trial in the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday (23/4/2026).
Ibam also questioned the attribution given to him at that time, namely as a special staff to the minister.
In fact, he was not special staff, but a consultant for Kemendikbudristek from an external party.
“The fact that I am not a special staff to the minister is also something that should have been easily verified at the investigation stage because the number of ministerial special staff officials is very limited and their track record is well stored in the ministry,” said Ibam.
On 24 June 2025, Ibam was contacted by someone he believed to be an intermediary from the investigators.
This intermediary conveyed a message from the investigators, whose name was not mentioned.
“He was asked by someone in the ongoing investigation process to convey to me to be willing, I quote, ‘to make a statement pointing upwards’ and if I refuse, then the case will be expanded,” explained Ibam.
This message was conveyed when Ibam was still a witness status, not yet a suspect.
“The verbal conveyance was accompanied by words, ‘Please tell him, I feel sorry for Mas Ibam when searching his house I could see his medicines piling up and he is sickly,’” Ibam continued.
This expression of pity made Ibam convinced that the message giver was one of the investigators who participated in searching his house.