One Judge Dissents, Argues Nadiem Makarim Should Be Acquitted in Chromebook Corruption Case

A dissenting opinion was read during the verdict hearing for former Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (30/6/2026). Judge Andi Saputra, a member of the panel of five judges, stated that Nadiem should be acquitted of all charges. Andi argued that the prosecution failed to prove a clear causal link between Nadiem’s actions and the alleged corrupt acts. He noted that the ministerial regulation signed by Nadiem, which was the basis for the laptop procurement policy, did not specify a particular brand but only the operating system. Furthermore, Andi found no convincing evidence of a ‘meeting of minds’ or agreement to commit corruption based on WhatsApp group conversations presented in court. He concluded that Nadiem had resigned from his position at the company before being inaugurated as minister, held only a minority stake, and did not control the company remotely or create policies to benefit it. The judge stated that the events, including the procurement policy and the company’s capital increase, lacked a strong causal relationship to constitute a criminal act by Nadiem.