Nadiem Makarim to be Sentenced Tomorrow: Summary of the Case and the 18-Year Prison Demand

Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019–2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, will finally face the verdict hearing for the alleged Chromebook corruption case on Tuesday (30/6/2026). The schedule for the verdict hearing was confirmed after the panel of judges was originally due to deliver the verdict on 25 June 2026. “After this, we will deliberate. The defendant is to appear again at the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, 30 June 2026,” said Presiding Judge Purwanto Abdullah during the duplik hearing at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta District Court, Tuesday (23/6/2026). Nadiem is one of the defendants in the alleged corruption case concerning the education digitalisation programme, involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the years 2019–2022. He was previously sentenced to 18 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion, subsidiary to 190 days imprisonment, and a restitution payment of Rp5.67 trillion, subsidiary to 9 years imprisonment. In this case, Nadiem Makarim was charged with corruption causing state losses of Rp2.18 trillion. The corruption was allegedly carried out, among other things, by procuring information and communication technology-based learning tools in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years, not in accordance with procurement planning and principles. The actions of the founder of a technology company were allegedly committed together with three other defendants in separate trials, namely Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who remains at large. In detail, the resulting state losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme at the Ministry, and US$44.05 million, equivalent to Rp621.39 billion, due to the procurement of unnecessary and useless CDM for the education digitalisation programme. Through these actions, Nadiem allegedly received Rp809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) via PT Gojek Indonesia. It was stated that the majority of PT AKAB’s funds came from a Google investment worth US$786.99 million. This can be seen from Nadiem’s wealth recorded in the State Officials’ Wealth Report (LHKPN) in 2022, which showed the acquisition of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion.