Ibrahim Arief faces verdict hearing in Chromebook corruption case today

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Technology consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Ibrahim Arief, is undergoing the verdict hearing related to the alleged Chromebook corruption case at the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday. According to the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) of the Central Jakarta District Court, the hearing is scheduled for 10.20 WIB in the Muhammad Hatta Ali Room, presided over by Chief Judge Purwanto Abdullah. Previously, Ibam, as Ibrahim Arief is affectionately known, was prosecuted with 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary 190 days in prison, and restitution of Rp16.92 billion subsidiary 7 years and 6 months in prison. In the alleged corruption case of the educational digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology from 2019 to 2022, Ibam caused state financial losses amounting to Rp2.18 trillion. In detail, the state losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the educational digitalisation programme at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, as well as US$44.05 million or equivalent to Rp621.39 billion due to the unnecessary and unbeneficial procurement of CDM in the educational digitalisation programme. It is stated that Ibam committed those unlawful acts together with the Director of Primary Schools (SD) at the Directorate General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Secondary Education (Ditjen PAUD Dikdasmen) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for 2020-2021, Sri Wahyuningsih, along with the Director of Junior High Schools (SMP) at Ditjen PAUD Dikdasmen of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for 2020-2021, Mulyatsyah. Sri Wahyuningsih and Mulyatsyah have already been sentenced to 4 years and 4 years and 6 months in prison respectively, fines of Rp500 million subsidiary imprisonment of 120 days, and restitution of Rp2.28 billion subsidiary 2 years in prison. Furthermore, together with the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, and former Special Staff of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Jurist Tan. Nadiem will face a prosecution hearing on Wednesday (13/5), while Jurist Tan remains at large. The unlawful acts committed by the defendants include, together with Nadiem and Jurist, among others, carrying out the procurement of information and communication technology-based learning facilities in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years, which did not comply with the procurement planning and various procurement principles. For their actions, Ibam faces penalties as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.