Key facts
- An Indonesian court will announce a verdict on Tuesday in a corruption case against Nadiem Makarim, co-founder of Gojek and former education minister.
- Prosecutors allege Makarim personally benefited from improper laptop procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing approximately $125 million in state losses.
- Prosecutors are seeking an 18-year prison sentence and demand Makarim pay around $314 million in fines and restitution.
- Makarim, who resigned as Gojek CEO in 2019 to serve as education minister until 2024, is accused of enriching himself by $46.33 million through the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome OS for schools between 2020 and 2022.
- Analysts and figures like Richard Branson have questioned the case, suggesting it may be politically motivated and could harm Indonesia's global image among investors.
An Indonesian court is scheduled to announce its verdict on Tuesday in a high-profile corruption case against Nadiem Makarim, the co-founder of ride-hailing giant Gojek and former education minister. Prosecutors allege that Makarim, 41, personally benefited from improper laptop procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing approximately $125 million in state losses. They are seeking an 18-year prison sentence and demand that he pay around $314 million in fines and restitution.
Makarim, who served as education minister from 2019 to 2024, is accused of enriching himself by about $46.33 million through the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome OS for schools between 2020 and 2022. Prosecutors claim he created tender specifications that favored Google's system, aiming to make Google the sole controller of the education ecosystem in Indonesia. They also suggested Google's investment in Gojek's parent company influenced the procurement, though Google has denied any connection and stated its investments predated Makarim's ministerial appointment.
Legal analysts, including Professor Tim Lindsey of the University of Melbourne, have questioned the case, suggesting that the charges, which often conflate inefficiency and risk-taking with corruption, represent a significant expansion of the notion of corruption. Lindsey warned that such prosecutions, coupled with state intrusion into the commercial sector, could damage Indonesia's reputation among investors. British billionaire Richard Branson has also publicly criticized the case, calling the charges "trumped-up" and politically motivated. Makarim, who has maintained his innocence, stated that his case is a "scary" cautionary tale for young professionals and public officials.