Three Defendants in Chromebook Corruption Case Demanded 6-15 Years in Prison
Three defendants in the alleged Chromebook corruption case have been demanded prison terms of 6 to 15 years at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday.
“Prosecuting so that the panel of judges declares the defendants proven legally and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal act of corruption jointly,” stated public prosecutor (JPU) from the Attorney General’s Office, Roy Riady, during the trial.
Among the three defendants, Technology Consultant for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, is demanded 15 years in prison.
In addition to prison sentences, all three are also demanded fines: Ibam Rp1 billion, with the provision that if not paid, it is replaced (subsidiary) with 190 days in prison.
Meanwhile, Sri and Mulyatsyah are each demanded fines of Rp500 million, subsidiary 120 days in prison.
Specifically for Ibam and Mulyatsyah, additional penalties are demanded in the form of restitution money of Rp16.92 billion for Ibam, subsidiary 7 years and 6 months in prison, and Rp2.28 billion for Mulyatsyah, subsidiary 3 years in prison.
Thus, the JPU is convinced that the defendants are guilty of violating Article 603 jo. Article 20 of the Criminal Code jo. Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001.
Before submitting the demands, aggravating factors were considered, namely that the defendants do not support the government’s programme in organising a clean and free state from Corruption, Collusion, and Nepotism (KKN).
In the alleged corruption case of the education digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2019–2022, the three defendants are alleged to have caused state financial losses of Rp2.18 trillion.
In detail, the state losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme at Kemendikbudristek, as well as US$44.05 million or equivalent to Rp621.39 billion due to the procurement of unnecessary and unbeneficial CDM in the education digitalisation programme.
It is stated that the three defendants committed the unlawful acts jointly with the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, and former Special Staff to the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Jurist Tan.
The unlawful acts committed by the defendants include, jointly with Nadiem and Jurist, 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, which did not comply with the procurement planning and various procurement principles.
Then, Nadiem, through Ibam, Mulyatsyah, Sri, and Jurist, conducted a review of studies and needs analysis for information and communication technology equipment (TIK) in the education digitalisation programme, which led to Chromebook laptops using the Chrome operating system (Chrome OS) and CDM.
The defendants, jointly with Nadiem and Jurist, also compiled unit prices and budget allocations for 2020 without supporting surveys with accountable data.
The compilation of unit prices and budget allocations was carried out in the budgeting for the procurement of Chromebook laptops using the Chrome operating system (Chrome OS) and CDM, which became the reference for unit prices and budget allocations in 2021 and 2022.
In addition, the defendants, together with Nadiem and Jurist, are also alleged to have procured Chromebook laptops at Kemendikbudristek through e-Catalogue or the School Procurement Information System (SIPLah) application in 2020, 2021, and 2022 without price evaluation of the implementation of Chromebook laptop procurement and without supporting price references.
For their actions, the three face penalties under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 jo. Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.