Judge States Nadiem Makarim's Corruption Was Planned, Structured, and Systematic, Leading to 10-Year Sentence

The Panel of Judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court revealed several aggravating factors in the sentencing of former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, in a corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management. During the verdict hearing on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, Presiding Judge Purwanto S. Abdullah stated that the defendant’s actions were carried out in a planned, structured, and systematic manner, which became a primary consideration for the 10-year prison sentence. The judge assessed that the criminal act not only caused massive state losses but also had a broad impact on the provision of education, particularly for children in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions. The panel also considered that Nadiem, as a state official, should have set an example in running the government but instead misused his authority. The court further noted that the defendant’s actions contradicted the government’s and society’s commitment to eradicating corruption. Regarding mitigating factors, the judge acknowledged that Nadiem had never been convicted before and was polite and cooperative during the trial. However, the court deemed his very affluent economic condition meant there was no economic necessity driving the crime.