Lawyer Claims Ibam Lacked Authority to Decide on Chromebook Project During Nadiem Era
The lawyer for the defendant in the alleged corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM), Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, has requested that the judge acquit Ibam from the case. Ibam’s lawyer stated that his client had no authority whatsoever regarding the procurement of Chromebook laptops at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology during Minister Nadiem Makarim’s tenure.
“The facts revealed in the trial actually prove that the defendant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam was in the position of a consultant who had no authority to make any decisions related to the Chromebook procurement,” said Ibam’s lawyer while reading the duplicate at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday (28/4/2026).
Ibam’s lawyer stated that the advice given by Ibam was provided as a consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. He said that the advice and input were non-binding.
“All input he provided was non-binding, delivered professionally, objectively, and documented according to the needs and requests from the ministry,” he said.
Ibam’s lawyer stated that there was no flow of funds to Ibam. He said that Ibam’s income did not come from the state budget or parties related to the procurement, but rather his salary as a consultant at the Yayasan PSPKI, which was sourced from corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“The defendant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, in every meeting with the technical team, never directed the selection of Chromebook and Chrome Device Management,” he said.
He stated that Ibam never compiled or directed the technical team to change the technical study. He said that Ibam also did not sign or approve the approval sheet for the review results related to the Chromebook procurement.
“The defendant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam was never involved in the Chromebook and Chrome Device Management procurement process,” he said.
Ibam’s lawyer rejected the prosecutor’s charges and demands. Ibam’s lawyer claimed that the charge of enriching Ibam by Rp 16.9 billion related to this case failed to be proven.
“(Requesting the panel of judges) to acquit the defendant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam from the primary charge as well as the subsidiary charge, or at the very least, release him from legal demands. Restore the position, capability, dignity, and honour of the defendant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam to its original state,” he requested.
Previously, the prosecutor had also read a rebuttal to the plea from Ibam’s legal team. The prosecutor requested that the panel of judges reject Ibam’s side’s plea and stick to the indictment letter.
In the hearing held on Thursday (16/4), Ibam was sentenced to 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp 1 billion subsidiary to 190 days of imprisonment. The prosecutor also demanded that Ibam pay restitution of Rp 16.92 billion subsidiary to 7 years and 6 months in prison.