Nadiem After Being Demanded 18 Years in Prison: Harsher Than for Terrorists

Former Minister of Education and Culture during President Joko Widodo’s administration, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, objects to the Public Prosecutor’s (JPU) demands in the alleged corruption case concerning the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) for the 2020-2022 fiscal years.

“This is a very, very, very disappointing day. Perhaps there are no words that can explain my feelings,” Nadiem said at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court (PN), on Wednesday (13/5).

“Starting from yesterday’s decision where brother Ibam received an absurd guilty verdict of 4 years. And today we see the result of the hard work of honest people, young people who want to change old patterns, who want to advance transparency, using technology. Well, this is the payback,” he continued.

Accusing it of being harsher than for terrorists

According to Nadiem, the criminal demands against him are heavier than in terrorism cases.

“There is no administrative mistake at all, no element of corruption at all in my case, and the entire society already knows that. So, I’m confused why. Why is my demand greater than for murderers? My demand is greater than for terrorists?” Nadiem stated.

The prosecutors demanded that the Tipikor Court panel of judges sentence Nadiem to 18 years in prison and a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary 190 days in prison.

Nadiem is also demanded to pay restitution amounting to Rp809,597,125,000 (Rp809.5 billion) and Rp4,871,469,603,758 (Rp4.8 trillion) - which is the defendant’s assets that are disproportionate to legitimate income or suspected to originate from corruption crimes.

If the restitution is not paid, it will be replaced with 9 years in prison.

According to the prosecutors, based on the legal facts revealed in the trial, Nadiem has been proven to have harmed state finances in the procurement of Chromebook laptops and CDM for the 2020-2022 fiscal years.

“Therefore, impose a sentence on the defendant Nadiem Anwar Makarim of 18 years imprisonment,” said Prosecutor Roy Riady while reading the criminal indictment at the Jakarta Tipikor Court, on Wednesday (13/5).