Nadiem Makarim Scheduled as Crown Witness in Chromebook Corruption Trial
CORRUPTION TRIAL proceedings regarding alleged corruption in laptop Chromebook procurement, or the Chromebook corruption case, within the education digitalisation programme have resumed at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court.
In the trial session held on Tuesday, former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim is scheduled to appear as a crown witness.
Nadiem will provide testimony as a witness against three defendants in the case: Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Sri Wahyuningsih, and Mulyatsyah.
The Director of Prosecution at the Attorney General’s Office, Special Criminal Division, Riono Budisantoso, stated that Nadiem’s presence is necessary to provide testimony in the case against other defendants.
“Yes, the person in question will be heard as testimony in the case of other defendants,” Riono told journalists on Tuesday (10 March).
In addition to Nadiem, the prosecution also presented several other witnesses, including former special staff of the Education Minister Fiona Handayani and member of the Technical Analysis Team for Information Technology Learning Equipment Requirements in the Chromebook procurement, Stefani Nadia Purnama.
The case concerns alleged corruption in the education digitalisation programme through the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) devices within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology during 2019-2022.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants’ actions have caused state losses of approximately 2.18 trillion rupiah. This amount comprises 1.56 trillion rupiah related to the education digitalisation programme at the Education Ministry, and losses of approximately 44.05 million US dollars, or approximately 621.39 billion rupiah, resulting from the CDM device procurement that was deemed unnecessary and provided no benefit to the programme.
In the indictment, it is stated that the three defendants allegedly committed unlawful acts together with several parties, including Nadiem and former special staff of the Education Minister Jurist Tan.
These actions included the procurement of information technology-based learning facilities in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM devices in fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022, which were deemed inconsistent with procurement planning and violated principles of government goods and services procurement.
For their actions, the defendants are charged with violating provisions of the Anti-Corruption Law, specifically Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18, as well as Article 55 paragraph (1) subsection 1 of the Criminal Code. They face prison sentences and obligations to pay compensation for state losses incurred.
The prosecution’s examination of witnesses is aimed at clarifying the planning, implementation, and procurement process of Chromebook laptops and supporting equipment. The prosecution has indicated that good intentions in the education digitalisation programme cannot serve as a legal shield for Nadiem Makarim. The Corruption Court panel has rejected the exception filed by Nadiem Makarim in the Chromebook procurement corruption case.