What Made Prosecutors Demand 18 Years in Prison for Nadiem: Reaping Rp 4.8 Trillion and Being Evasive
Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim has been demanded to serve 18 years in prison in the alleged corruption case concerning the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM). Prosecutors stated that Nadiem’s actions are deemed to have hindered the equitable distribution of education.
“The defendant’s actions in committing corruption in the education sector, which is a strategic area of national development, have resulted in the obstruction of the quality of equitable education for children in Indonesia,” said prosecutor Roy Riady while reading the indictment at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, Wednesday (13/5/2026).
Prosecutors stated that Nadiem’s actions do not support the government’s programme in eradicating corruption, collusion, and nepotism. Prosecutors added that another aggravating factor is that Nadiem’s actions, together with others, have caused state financial losses.
“The defendant’s actions, together with Ibrahim Arief, Sri Wahyuningsih, Mulyatsyah, and Jurist Tan (fugitive), have resulted in substantial state financial losses amounting to Rp 1,567,888,662,716.74, and state financial losses due to the unnecessary and unbeneficial procurement of Chrome Device Management amounting to USD 44,054,426 or at least Rp 621,387,608,730 based on the lowest exchange rate from August 2020 to December 2022 at Rp 14,105 per USD 1,” said the prosecutor.
Prosecutors believe Nadiem aimed to gain personal profit in the Chromebook laptop procurement. Prosecutors noted that Nadiem’s wealth increased disproportionately to his legitimate income.
“In carrying out the 2020 to 2022 Chromebook ICT procurement with the aim of obtaining personal gain, the defendant neglected the quality of early childhood education, basic education, and secondary education in Indonesia, resulting in an increase in the defendant’s assets that is disproportionate to legitimate income or suspected from corruption amounting to Rp 4,871,469,603,758. The defendant was evasive during the trial process,” said the prosecutor.
Prosecutors stated there is only one mitigating factor. That factor is that Nadiem has never been convicted before.
“The mitigating factors are that the defendant has never been punished,” he said.
Nadiem is also demanded to pay a fine of Rp 1 billion subsidiary 190 days’ imprisonment. In addition, prosecutors demand Nadiem pay restitution of Rp 809,596,125,000 (Rp 809 billion) and Rp 4,871,469,603,758 (Rp 4.8 trillion), or a total of Rp 5,681,066,728,758 (Rp 5.6 trillion).
Prosecutors stated that Nadiem’s assets can be confiscated and auctioned to cover the restitution. However, if insufficient, it will be replaced with imprisonment for 9 years.
Prosecutors are convinced that Nadiem is guilty of violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code.