Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – Former Indonesian education minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty in a corruption case linked to the procurement of Chromebooks for schools, a punishment significantly lighter than the 18-year term sought by prosecutors.

The verdict was delivered by the Jakarta Corruption Court, where presiding judge Purwanto S. Abdullah also imposed a fine of Rp 1 billion ($55,000). The panel of five judges read the ruling during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court.

The sentence marks a dramatic fall for Nadiem, the co-founder of Indonesia's ride-hailing giant Gojek and a former technology entrepreneur who served as education minister from 2019 to 2024 under former president Joko Widodo.

Before the hearing began, dozens of family members and supporters gathered inside and outside the courthouse. Many wore white as a symbol of solidarity, while several Gojek drivers attended to show support for the former minister.

Nadiem, accompanied by his wife, became emotional after receiving a yellow rose from supporters and was seen wiping away tears as relatives embraced him before the judges entered the courtroom. Floral displays carrying messages of encouragement from Gojek drivers and friends lined the entrance to the courthouse.

Last month, prosecutors accused Nadiem of causing Rp 2.18 trillion ($121.8 million) in state losses through the procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM) software between 2020 and 2022 under the Education Ministry's digitalization program.

They had sought an 18-year prison sentence, a Rp 1 billion fine, and Rp 5.68 trillion in restitution, with an additional nine years in prison if the compensation was not paid.

Prosecutors alleged that Nadiem conspired with several ministry officials and associates to manipulate the procurement process, arguing that it violated government purchasing regulations and included unnecessary software that offered limited benefits to schools.

According to the indictment, the alleged losses consisted of Rp 1.56 trillion related to the broader education digitalization program and Rp 621.39 billion tied to unnecessary procurement of CDM software. Prosecutors also argued that the scheme undermined Indonesia's efforts to improve equitable access to quality education.

Following the prosecution's demands last month, Nadiem strongly denied any wrongdoing.

"I am effectively facing a 27-year sentence today. A record," he told reporters, arguing that prosecutors were seeking a harsher punishment than those imposed in some murder and terrorism cases.

He also rejected the restitution demand, saying it far exceeded his personal wealth and insisting there had been no administrative violations or corruption in the procurement process.

The Attorney General's Office further alleged that part of the illicit funds flowed through Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa, the corporate entity associated with Gojek, and examined Google's investment in GoTo as part of its financial investigation.

However, former Google executives testified before the Jakarta Corruption Court in April that there was no connection between the company's investment activities and the Chromebook procurement project.

Appearing by video link, former Google Asia Pacific President Scott Beaumont told the court there was "no connection at all" between Google's investment in GoTo and discussions with Indonesia's Education Ministry. Former Google executives Caesar Sengupta and William Florence also rejected the allegations.

Several other defendants have already been convicted in the case. Former ministry officials Sri Wahyuningsih and Mulyatsyah received prison terms of four years and four-and-a-half years, respectively. Technology consultant Ibrahim Arief was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday in a related case, while former special staff member Jurist Tan remains at large.

The verdict can still be appealed by either the prosecution or the defense.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/court-sentences-nadiem-makarim-to-10-years-in-chromebook-cas