Nadiem Makarim to Deliver Defence Plea in Chromebook Corruption Case Today
The former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Makarim, will read his defence plea (pleidoi) during a trial at the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court today. Nadiem is the defendant in a case involving alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebook laptops.
The Public Prosecutor has demanded an 18-year prison sentence for Nadiem Makarim. According to data from the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) of the Central Jakarta District Court, the hearing is scheduled to take/be held at 10:00 WIB in the Muhammad Hatta Ali Room, presided over by Chief Judge Purwanto Abdullah.
Nadiem is implicated in an alleged corruption case concerning the education digitalisation programme, specifically related to the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2022 fiscal years. In the indictment, Nadiem is alleged to have caused state financial losses amounting to Rp2.18 trillion.
In detail, these losses include Rp1.56 trillion from the education digitalisation programme and approximately Rp621.39 billion (equivalent to 44.05 million USD) due to the procurement of CDM, which was deemed useless and unnecessary. The prosecution alleges that Nadiem Makarim received funds amounting to Rp809.59 billion from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) via PT Gojek Indonesia. Prosecutors stated that a large portion of these funds originated from a Google investment worth 786.99 million USD.
Prosecutors have also linked these findings to Nadiem’s 2022 State Officials Wealth Report (LHKPN), which recorded holdings in securities valued at Rp5.59 trillion. Nadiem Makarim is charged with violating Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes. In addition to Nadiem, the case involves other individuals including Ibrahim Arief, Mulyatsyah, Sri Wahyuningsih, and Jurist Tan, the latter of whom remains a fugitive.