Nadiem Makarim's Appeal Hearing Scheduled for 5 August

The Jakarta High Court (PT DKI) has scheduled the first hearing for the appeal filed by former Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim for Wednesday, 5 August. The appeal will be examined by a panel of judges led by Subachran Hardi Mulyana, with Catur Iriantoro and Hotma Maya Marbun serving as member judges.

Previously, a panel of judges at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Nadiem to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp1 billion, subsidiary to 190 days of imprisonment. The judge found Nadiem guilty of corruption related to the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) for the 2020-2022 fiscal years.

In addition to the prison sentence, the judges imposed an additional penalty requiring Nadiem to pay restitution of Rp809.5 billion. If the restitution is not paid, it will be replaced with an additional 5 years of imprisonment. In delivering the sentence, the judge highlighted several aggravating factors, stating that Nadiem’s actions contradicted the government’s and society’s commitment to eradicating corruption. As a minister, he was supposed to be a role model but instead abused his authority. The judge noted the crime was planned, structured, and systematic, causing massive state financial losses and impacting education delivery, particularly for children in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions.

The judge also noted that Nadiem’s affluent economic status meant there was no financial desperation motivating the crime. Mitigating factors included Nadiem’s clean prior criminal record and his polite and cooperative demeanour during the trial. The verdict was not unanimous, as judge Andi Saputra issued a dissenting opinion, arguing that Nadiem should have been acquitted of all charges as the corruption causing state losses was not proven.