The Public Prosecutors (JPU) from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) have firmly asserted that the demand for an 18-year prison sentence against former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, in the alleged Chromebook procurement corruption case, was systematically compiled based on legitimate evidence, not on opinion or perception.
Prosecutor Roy Riady elaborated that all conclusions within the indictment represent a comprehensive summary of trial facts, robustly supported by material evidence presented before the panel of judges.
“The indictment was systematically prepared,” Roy emphasized following the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday (May 13, 2026). “It meticulously consolidates everything into a single conclusion, comprising, firstly, the indictment letter itself, and secondly, the trial facts unveiled through concrete evidence. I must reiterate, these are trial facts derived from evidence, not from mere perceptions or opinions.”
Roy further underscored the pivotal role of electronic evidence confiscated from the defendant’s technical team. He stated that digital documents and recorded conversations serve as irrefutable, key evidence of direct instructions from Nadiem concerning the Chromebook project.
“People can lie, but electronic evidence cannot,” Roy continued. “This is what will be cross-referenced with the actual facts. We possess a conversation document dated May 27 explicitly stating ‘based on the Minister’s direction.’ This signifies that all subsequent meetings were in direct follow-up to those ministerial directives.”
Addressing Nadiem’s rebuttal regarding the staggering Rp 5.6 trillion restitution amount, the Public Prosecutors underscored that corruption cases operate under the principle of the reversal of the burden of proof.
Consequently, prosecutors contend that Nadiem is obligated to demonstrate in court that his assets were not, in fact, derived from the proceeds of crime.
“This is commonly known as the reversal of the burden of proof,” Roy concluded. “Under this principle, Mr. Nadiem should exercise his right and fulfill his obligation to prove whether the disproportionate increase in his wealth constitutes the proceeds of criminal activity. As for our evidence, it originates from tax returns (SPT), Wealth Reports for State Officials (LHKPN), and expert testimony.”
Previously, the JPU had sought an 18-year prison sentence for Nadiem Makarim, alongside a Rp 1 billion fine, convertible to an additional six months imprisonment if unpaid. Beyond this custodial sentence, Nadiem was also ordered to pay a colossal restitution of Rp 5.6 trillion.
This immense sum encompasses alleged investment fund flows totaling Rp 809.5 billion, coupled with a fictitious surge in wealth valued at Rp 4.8 trillion, identified in his 2022 LHKPN and tax returns. Should the restitution remain unpaid, Nadiem faces an additional 9 years of imprisonment.
In this specific case, Nadiem stands accused of abusing his authority to favor the Chrome OS operating system, allegedly to benefit a colossal USD 786.99 million investment by Google into a company linked to him.
Prosecutors further assert that this policy led to state financial losses amounting to Rp 2.18 trillion. These losses stemmed from the overpricing of physical laptops and the procurement of Chrome Device Management (CDM) licenses, which were ultimately deemed wasteful and unusable in remote (3T) schools.
Summary
Public prosecutors have formally requested an 18-year prison sentence for former Minister Nadiem Makarim regarding his alleged involvement in a major Chromebook procurement corruption case. The prosecution asserts that this demand is based on systematic trial facts and irrefutable electronic evidence, including recorded instructions that linked the defendant directly to the project. The case also addresses state financial losses estimated at Rp 2.18 trillion resulting from the procurement of overpriced and ineffective equipment.
In addition to the custodial sentence, prosecutors have ordered Nadiem to pay Rp 5.6 trillion in restitution to cover alleged illicit investment flows and unexplained wealth. Applying the principle of the reversal of the burden of proof, the state maintains that the defendant must demonstrate that his assets are not the result of criminal activity. Failure to pay the restitution could result in an additional nine years of imprisonment for the former minister.