Prosecutors Argue Nadiem Makarim Had Malicious Intent in Chromebook Corruption Case
Jakarta – Public prosecutor Roy Riady from the Attorney General’s Office stated that defendant Nadiem Anwar Makarim not only possessed malicious intent in the alleged Chromebook corruption case but also followed through with a series of unlawful acts. “This is as the prosecutor has outlined completely and systematically in the sentencing demand,” the prosecutor said during the replication hearing in response to the plea at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, 9 June 2026.
The prosecutor explained this applies particularly to Nadiem’s actions that clearly breached Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2018 concerning the Procurement of Goods and Services. The prosecutor stated these actions included instructing Hamid Muhammad with the order “Go ahead with Chromebook” and directing co-defendants Mulyatsyah and Sri Wahyuningsih through Jurist Tan by stating the Chromebooks no longer needed debate as Nadiem’s order as minister was final.
Furthermore, Nadiem allegedly conveyed directly to Sri Wahyuningsih and Mulyatsyah after his inauguration that the digital education programme must use the Chrome operating system and the devices must employ Chrome Device Management. Based on trial facts, the prosecutor noted Nadiem did not deny these points during his examination, indicating a strong causal link between the malicious intent acted upon and the unlawful conduct.
It was mentioned that this embodies the principle of actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea – an act does not make a person guilty unless the intent is also criminal – aimed at enriching oneself, another person, or a corporation. These actions are deemed to have not only caused extremely large state financial losses but also impeded the equitable distribution of quality education for Indonesia’s children.
“Therefore, these acts fall purely within the criminal realm, in this case, the criminal act of corruption,” the prosecutor concluded. Nadiem was implicated as a defendant in the alleged corruption case concerning the educational digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for the 2019–2022 period. Nadiem was previously sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment, a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary to 190 days’ confinement, and restitution payment of Rp5.67 trillion subsidiary to 9 years’ imprisonment.