Nadiem Makarim Hospitalised, Absent from Chromebook Corruption Trial
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Makarim did not attend the continuation of the trial in the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of Chromebook-based laptops, which had an agenda of examining witnesses and experts.
Prosecutor Roy Riady stated that Nadiem could not participate in the hearing because he was being treated at Abdi Waluyo Hospital in Jakarta and had not received permission from his doctor to attend the trial.
“We have received information and a medical certificate from Abdi Waluyo Hospital and the doctor treating the defendant Nadiem Anwar Makarim, stating that Mr Nadiem Anwar Makarim is unable or not permitted to attend today’s court session,” Roy said during the hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (27/4/2026).
“As per the summary prepared by the doctor and the medical certificate, there is a long-standing illness that requires intensive hospital treatment with antibiotics, Your Honour,” he added.
Nadiem has been receiving treatment at Abdi Waluyo Hospital since Saturday (25/4/2026) and must undergo care for nine days or until 3 May 2026 next week.
“From this medical certificate and its summary, it does not mention anything regarding surgery, only that several necessary procedures are required,” Roy stated again.
Previously, Nadiem was also unable to attend the court session on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
He was brought to the Jakarta Corruption Court but refused to be taken into the courtroom.
The agenda for that day’s hearing was postponed because the defence team also did not attend the session.
Nadiem Makarim is accused of causing a state financial loss of Rp 2.1 trillion in the alleged corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebook-based laptops.
This act was carried out jointly with three other defendants: former Kemendikbudristek technology consultant Ibrahim Arief, former Director of Secondary Schools at Kemendikbudristek Mulyatsyah, and former Director of Primary Schools at Kemendikbudristek Sri Wahyuningsih.
The calculation of state losses is divided into two components: the procurement of Chromebook-based laptops and the procurement of Chrome Device Management (CDM).
Prosecutors assess that the CDM procurement harmed the state because it was unnecessary and not required for the Kemendikbudristek Digital Education programme at the time.