Prosecution Hearing in Nadiem Makarim Chromebook Corruption Case Held Today
The trial in the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of Chromebook laptops, which implicates former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) for the 2019–2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, has entered a new phase. The Public Prosecutor (JPU) is scheduled to read out the criminal indictment during the hearing at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) of the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (13/5).
This decision was made after the Chief Judge Purwanto Abdullah declared that the entire series of proof hearings had been completed. The statement was delivered when closing the defendant’s examination hearing on Monday (11/5) evening.
“At the request of the public prosecutor, please allow the opportunity to read the indictment on Wednesday, 13 May 2026,” said Chief Judge Purwanto in the courtroom.
Ahead of the indictment reading, the Panel of Judges granted the request to change Nadiem Makarim’s detention status. Effective from Tuesday (12/5), Nadiem’s status has officially been shifted from detention in the State Detention Centre (Rutan) to house arrest.
The Chief Judge emphasised that the decision was purely based on considerations of the defendant’s health condition, with no other intervening factors. Nevertheless, this change comes with strict conditions. If Nadiem is found to violate the house arrest provisions, the Panel of Judges will not hesitate to return him to state detention.
In this case, Nadiem is charged with committing corruption in 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 2019–2022 fiscal years. The project is deemed not in accordance with planning and government procurement principles for goods/services.
Prosecutors state that part of the funds received by Nadiem is suspected to originate from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) via PT Gojek Indonesia, where the source of those funds is alleged to come from Google’s investment worth US$786.99 million.
Nadiem is not alone in this case. He is charged with committing the acts jointly with several other parties processed in separate indictment files.
For his actions, Nadiem is charged under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code. The former Mendikbudristek now faces a maximum prison sentence of life imprisonment.