JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian anti-corruption court handed down a 10-year prison sentence Tuesday to one of the men who helped build ride-hailing and payments powerhouse Gojek, finding him guilty of corruption tied to his time serving as the country’s education minister.
Nadiem Anwar Makarim, 41, was convicted of directing his ministry to purchase Google Chromebook laptops for use in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic — a decision that coincided with Google’s consideration of a major investment in Gojek’s parent company.
A five-judge panel at Jakarta’s Corruption Court ordered Makarim to repay 809 billion rupiah — roughly $45.2 million — which prosecutors said represented the value of Google’s investment in PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa. He was also hit with a fine of 1 billion rupiah, approximately $55,870. Prosecutors further argued the procurement decision resulted in $125 million in losses to the Indonesian government.
Presiding Judge Purwanto S. Abdullah delivered sharp words in announcing the verdict. “The defendant, as a minister who should serve as a role model, abused his authority. His actions were deliberate, structured and systematic,” Abdullah said. “As a high-ranking official, the defendant exacerbated the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the education sector was already in crisis.”
Despite the conviction, the court stopped short of concluding that Makarim’s push for Chromebooks actually swayed Google’s investment decision. Three former Google executives who took the stand during the trial testified that the tech company’s investment in GoTo had nothing to do with the Indonesian government’s laptop purchasing choice.
The 10-year sentence was significantly lighter than the 18 years prosecutors had requested. Judges explained that they reduced the punishment in part because of Makarim’s age, noting that the sentence should not eliminate his opportunity for rehabilitation and the chance to one day contribute to society again. The time he has already served since his arrest in September will be credited toward the sentence.
The judges determined that Makarim’s decision to adopt ChromeOS and Chrome Education Upgrades — both products exclusively licensed through Google — was driven by a conflict of interest. They found he disregarded guidance from his own ministry’s legal team and ignored policies requiring preference for domestically made products.
“The defendant maintained the Chromebook policy by systematically removing officials who opposed it during his tenure as education and culture minister,” Judge Abdullah added.
Makarim was not the only one facing consequences. Two former education ministry officials and a former technology consultant were also detained alongside him and received sentences of up to four and a half years. A fifth individual connected to the case remains wanted by authorities and has not been apprehended.
The trial, which got underway in January, captured widespread public interest in Indonesia. Hearings were frequently attended by hundreds of motorcycle taxi drivers who came to show support for the man many credit with helping create their livelihood through Gojek.
One judge on the panel, Andi Saputra, broke from the majority in a dissenting opinion, arguing the evidence was insufficient and that Makarim should have been acquitted.
Makarim has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. After the verdict was read, he called the punishment excessive and announced his intention to appeal the decision.
