Indonesia jails Gojek founder Nadiem for 10 years, orders US$48 million restitution

[JAKARTA] An Indonesian court on Tuesday (Jun 30) sentenced Gojek founder and former education minister Nadiem Makarim to 10 years in prison over corruption linked to a multitrillion-rupiah school laptop procurement programme during his time in office, bringing to a close one of the country’s landmark graft cases.

The Central Jakarta District Court found the Singapore-born tech entrepreneur guilty of corruption in the Chromebook procurement programme, holding that the procurement had caused state losses and that the laptops were not used optimally, thereby fulfilling the legal elements of the offence.

The court also ordered Nadiem to pay 809 billion rupiah (US$48 million) in restitution. If he fails to pay, his assets may be seized and auctioned to recover the amount. Should the proceeds prove insufficient, he would face an additional 190 days in prison in lieu of payment.

In its 1,146-page ruling, the panel of judges, led by Judge Purwanto Abdullah, convicted Nadiem on the subsidiary charge, finding that he had abused his authority within the education ministry to push through the procurement of Chromebook laptops, constituting a series of corruption offences.

However, the panel acquitted him of the primary charge after finding that prosecutors had failed to prove the element of unlawfulness.

Judge Abdullah said the alleged misconduct stemmed from powers inherent in Nadiem’s role as education minister, rather than actions taken in a personal capacity, making the subsidiary charge the appropriate legal basis for conviction.

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Andi Saputra said corruption is a white-collar crime that requires a high standard of proof. He argued that prosecutors had failed to meet that threshold in Nadiem’s case, finding insufficient evidence to establish that the former minister had received kickbacks from Google.

The 10-year sentence is lower than the 18-year prison term sought by prosecutors during earlier sentencing hearings.

Judge Abdullah said the panel had not imposed the maximum sentence under Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law, citing Nadiem’s relatively young age and his potential to continue contributing to society. The law carries a prison term of between four and 20 years.

SEE ALSO

Gojek founder Nadiem pleads not guilty, says ‘the world felt like it was ending’ when in prison

The verdict concludes a closely watched, six-month trial involving one of Indonesia’s best-known entrepreneurs, whose transition from the private sector into government was once hailed as a symbol of reform.

Google’s involvement

The trial also attracted international attention after prosecutors alleged that Google benefited from the procurement process.

Nadiem, 41, stepped down as chief executive of ride-hailing and technology startup Gojek in 2019 to join then-president Joko Widodo’s Cabinet as education minister, serving until 2024.

Prosecutors accused him of abusing his authority in the procurement of 1.6 million Chromebook laptops for schools between 2020 and 2022 at inflated prices, under a programme launched to support digital learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. They alleged the scheme caused significant state losses and enriched Nadiem by about 809 billion rupiah.

According to prosecutors, Nadiem manipulated the tender specifications so that only devices running Google’s Chrome operating system qualified for the project, effectively making Google “the sole controller of the education ecosystem in Indonesia”.

They also argued that Google’s investment in Gojek’s parent company created a conflict of interest that influenced the ministry’s procurement decisions.

The prosecution alleged that the procurement process was designed to favour Google’s ecosystem rather than ensure fair competition among technology providers.

Nadiem has denied the allegations throughout the trial, maintaining that the procurement programme was aimed at accelerating digital education and that all decisions were made in accordance with existing regulations.

Dressed in a batik shirt, Nadiem appeared composed ahead of the verdict being read. Accompanied by his wife, he thanked his family and supporters, while reiterating his innocence outside the courtroom. “I have always acted in the best interest of Indonesia’s education system,” he said.

Hundreds of Gojek drivers gathered outside the Central Jakarta District Court during the hearing to show support for the entrepreneur, whose company grew from a motorcycle ride-hailing service into one of South-east Asia’s largest technology firms.

Nadiem has been under house arrest since May 12 after suffering health complications that required multiple surgeries. The court granted the arrangement on medical grounds while his trial was ongoing.

Nadiem was first charged in September 2025 and stood trial alongside four others. Among them was Ibrahim Arief, a former Bukalapak executive and education ministry consultant, who was sentenced to four years in prison in May for his role in the laptop procurement graft case.

The case has become one of Indonesia’s most prominent corruption prosecutions in recent years, not only because of Nadiem’s status as a celebrated tech entrepreneur but also because it raised broader questions over corporate influence in public procurement and governance. The ruling marks the end of the first-instance trial, although Nadiem is expected to appeal the conviction.