Nadiem Makarim's Legal Team Collectively Absent, Courtroom Left Empty

The legal team of Nadiem Anwar Makarim collectively failed to attend the hearing on allegations of Chromebook corruption at the Jakarta Corruption Court, located at the Central Jakarta District Court, on Wednesday (22/4). The reason for the absence of Nadiem’s advocates remains unknown, leaving the courtroom noticeably empty. When the hearing began around 3:00 PM WIB, the public prosecutors (JPU) from the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) did not mention the presence or reason for the absence of Nadiem’s legal advisors. “We, the public prosecutors, are present, but the legal counsel is not,” stated JPU from Kejagung, Roy Riadi, during the proceedings. In addition to his legal team, Nadiem was not brought to the hearing by the JPU due to illness. However, the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology was waiting in the court’s detention room. Consequently, the Panel of Judges postponed the hearing, which was scheduled for examining witnesses and experts to lighten the charge, to Monday (27/4). Nadiem is charged with corruption that harmed the state finances by Rp2.18 trillion, related to 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. The corruption is alleged to have been committed, among other things, 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 principles of procurement. Nadiem is charged with corruption jointly with three other defendants in separate trials, namely Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who is currently a fugitive. In detail, the state losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, as well as US$44.05 million or equivalent to Rp621.39 billion due to the procurement of unnecessary and unbeneficial CDM. Through these actions, Nadiem is alleged to have received money amounting to Rp809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) via PT Gojek Indonesia. It is stated that most of the funds from PT AKAB came from Google’s investment worth US$786.99 million. This can be seen from Nadiem’s wealth recorded in the State Organiser’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) for 2022, which includes the acquisition of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion. For his actions, the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology from 2019-2024 faces penalties as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.