Nadiem Makarim Requests Transfer to House Arrest from Panel of Judges

The defendant in the corruption case concerning the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM), who is also the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek), Nadiem Makarim, has requested the panel of judges hearing his case to transfer his detention status to house or city arrest during his recovery from illness. “Only until I recover, after recovery I am ready to return to detention status in the detention centre, no problem. This is just so I can recover,” said Nadiem during the witness examination hearing at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday, 4 May 2026. Nadiem admitted that he is currently undergoing treatment in hospital in preparation for surgery for the illness he is suffering, which will take place in the near future. However, he still attended the trial so that his case could be resolved quickly, even though doctors did not recommend leaving the hospital. Nadiem’s lawyer, Zaid Mushafi, stated that the transfer of detention status is necessary because his client requires a sterile environment after the operation. “That way, future trial agendas will not be disrupted or hindered by this health process,” Zaid explained on the same occasion. In response to Nadiem’s request, Chief Judge Purwanto Abdullah said that they would first assess Nadiem’s condition after the surgery before making a decision regarding the transfer of detention status. “If the defendant’s condition allows the examination to be completed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we will finish it. Then, after that, the panel of judges will decide on the ongoing matter,” the Chief Judge stated. In the alleged corruption case of the education digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and CDM within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology from 2019 to 2022, Nadiem is accused of corruption that harms the state finances by 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 procurement principles. Nadiem’s actions are accused of being carried out together 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.