JAKARTA: The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and former education minister Nadiem Makarim have both filed appeals of a court’s ruling against the latter in a corruption case pertaining to the procurement of Chromebook laptops for schools nationwide during his time in office.
On Tuesday (June 30), the Jakarta Corruption Court found Nadiem, a cofounder of tech firm Gojek, guilty of abusing his authority in the laptop procurement for schools in remote and underdeveloped regions between 2020 and 2022. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and also ordered to pay a Rp 1 billion (US$55,870) fine as well as a Rp 809 billion in restitution, a sum Nadiem said was unable to pay.
According to the judges, the corruption resulted in Rp 1.57 trillion in state losses. The sentence was lighter than the one sought by prosecutors, who demanded 18 years in prison and a Rp 1 billion fine.
They also asked the judges to order the defendant to pay Rp 5.6 trillion in restitution, including the Rp 809 billion they suspected Nadiem personally benefited from through transactions involving PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa, Gojek’s parent company.
After receiving a copy of the verdict, Nadiem’s legal team filed an appeal with the Jakarta High Court, arguing the ruling ignored evidence presented during the trial and could set a dangerous precedent for private sector executives who leave their positions to serve in the government.
“We hope the high court judges will not be influenced by any external pressure, so they can remain objective in reviewing all trial facts, evidence and testimonies to reach a clear and fair decision,” Nadiem’s lawyer Ari Yusuf Amir said on Friday.
He added that the legal team also plans to file a complaint with the Judicial Commission next week, alleging that the Jakarta Corruption Court’s panel of judges improperly disregarded evidence presented during the trial and showed bias in their questioning against the defendant.
Nadiem, who left Gojek to serve as education minister under former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2019, expressed his disappointment with the ruling after Tuesday’s hearing. He later conveyed his plan to “continue to fight for the truth [and] for the sake of young people, professionals and honest people who are discriminated against”.
The move from Nadiem’s legal team followed an appeal from the prosecutors, as announced by AGO spokesperson Anang Supriatna on Thursday. He argued the judges’ verdict failed to address several issues raised by the prosecutors during the trials and should be reviewed by a higher court.
He added that the AGO is also still reviewing the possibility of expanding the case into money laundering charges and corporate liability. The court previously noted an unexplained increase in Nadiem’s wealth to Rp 4.87 trillion during the trial. The judges suggested prosecutors investigate it separately under the 2010 Anti-Money Laundering Law.
Nadiem previously attributed the increase to the value of his shares as founder of PT Goto Gojek Tokopedia (GoTo), which went public in 2022. Nadiem recorded a decline of his wealth to Rp 600 billion in his last wealth report in 2024.
Support for Nadiem has poured in since the beginning of the trial, with academics and civil society groups alleging the prosecution was politically motivated. They also warned the case may prevent aspiring young professionals from entering public service and contributing to the country.
Former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD questioned the judges’ reasoning on causality and criminal intent in the case, calling the bench’s conclusion unusual on the park that linked Nadiem to state losses ties to a company he cofounded. Despite his criticism, Mahfud said the verdict must be respected, and that allegations of judicial error should be addressed through an appeal.
Law professor Suparji Ahmad from Al-Azhar University Indonesia said in an interview on Kompas TV that the court had sufficient evidence to establish both criminal intent and a link between Nadiem’s alleged abuse of authority and state losses.
Coordinating Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Correctional Services Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendera said on Thursday the government leaves the process entirely to the courts. He also dismissed speculations that the government is considering granting Nadiem any presidential pardon. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
