Nadiem Makarim Exhausted After Testifying for 11 Hours Nonstop in Chromebook Trial
Former Education Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim was presented as a star witness in a trial concerning alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM) systems. Nadiem disclosed that he was fatigued after providing testimony for approximately 11 hours nonstop.
The trial was held at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, 9 March 2026. The defendants in the trial are Mulyatsyah as Director of the Education Ministry’s Middle School Division in 2020, Sri Wahyuningsih as Director of the Primary School Division of the Directorate General of Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary Education from 2020–2021, and Ibrahim Arief, alias Ibam, as a consultant.
“It has been extremely exhausting today because I was the sole witness and I am uncertain how many hours it was, 11 hours nonstop as a witness,” stated Nadiem Makarim after the hearing.
Nadiem expressed bewilderment at being accused of conspiracy in this matter alongside Sri, Mulyatsyah and Ibam. According to him, there was no evidence demonstrating any communication regarding Chromebooks between himself and the defendants.
“If there was a conspiracy, surely it would be evident in the WhatsApp records. So all defendants, myself and perhaps everyone present at this hearing are perplexed at being charged under Article 55 when there is absolutely no evidence of any communication concerning this Chromebook issue—no conspiracy,” stated Nadiem.
Nadiem contended that the alleged state loss of Rp 2.1 trillion in this matter was merely a prosecutorial assumption. He stated that truth would ultimately prevail.
“Although this has been an extremely exhausting day, I am grateful that truth cannot be suppressed; no matter what is thrown at it, no matter how much I am accused falsely regarding tax returns or receiving Rp 809 billion, God always listens and will always illuminate the truth. Regardless of how I am manipulated or falsely accused, truth will always find a way out,” said Nadiem.
“Because from what I have observed in this testimony, there genuinely is no case because there is no loss, no consensus, no violation of regulations. So everyone is essentially confused as if something must be wrong,” he continued.
The indictment hearing for Mulyatsyah, Sri and Ibam was previously held on Tuesday, 16 December 2025. The prosecution charged Mul, Sri and Ibam with causing state financial losses of Rp 2.1 trillion in the matter.
The prosecution stated that the calculated state loss of Rp 2.1 trillion resulted from the inflated price of Chromebook laptops at Rp 1,567,888,662,716.74 (1.5 trillion rupiah). Additionally, procurement of CDM systems that were unnecessary and of no benefit amounted to USD 44,054,426 or approximately Rp 621,387,678,730 (621 billion rupiah).