Nadiem Makarim attends prosecution hearing in Chromebook corruption case
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, attended the reading of the prosecution’s demand in the alleged Chromebook corruption case at the Corruption Court within the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday.
Nadiem’s lawyer, Ari Yusuf Amir, stated that his client is prepared to face the prosecution hearing and hopes for an acquittal based on the trial facts.
“Because the prosecutor’s duty is to uphold the law and justice, not just to punish people,” Ari told ANTARA.
Ari mentioned that after the prosecution hearing, Nadiem will undergo surgery in the afternoon for an illness he is suffering from.
On Tuesday (12/5), he said, his client had undergone preparations at the hospital before the surgery, including condition checks, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and others.
In the alleged corruption case involving the education digitalisation programme, namely the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the years 2019-2022, Nadiem is charged with corruption that harms state finances amounting to Rp2.18 trillion.
The corruption is alleged to have been committed, among others, by 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, not in accordance with the procurement planning and principles of procurement.
Nadiem’s actions are charged as being committed jointly with three other defendants in separate trials, namely Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who is currently a fugitive.
In detail, the state losses caused amount to Rp1.56 trillion related to the education 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 procurement of unnecessary and unbeneficial CDM for the education digitalisation programme.
With those actions, Nadiem is alleged to have received money amounting to Rp809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) through PT Gojek Indonesia.
It is stated that most of the source of funds for PT AKAB comes from Google’s investment of US$786.99 million.
This can be seen from Nadiem’s wealth recorded in the State Organiser’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) for 2022, which includes the acquisition of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion.
For his actions, Nadiem faces imprisonment as regulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.