Indonesian prosecutors have asked a Jakarta court to sentence Nadiem Makarim, Gojek co‑founder and former education minister, to 18 years in prison over allegations that a Chromebook procurement scheme caused $125.64 million in state losses. Prosecutors say Makarim benefited about 809 billion rupiah (~$46.33M) and tailored tender specifications to favor Chrome, despite a 2018 ministry assessment warning about connectivity limits. Makarim denies wrongdoing; a verdict is expected in June.
Prosecutors Seek 18-Year Term for Gojek Co-Founder Nadiem Makarim in Chromebook Procurement Case
Nadiem Makarim, Indonesia's former education minister and co-founder of ride-hailing firm Gojek, arrives for a hearing over alleged corruption related to the procurement of Google Chromebook laptops at the Central Jakarta Court in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
JAKARTA — Indonesian prosecutors on Wednesday asked a Central Jakarta anti-corruption court to sentence Nadiem Makarim, co-founder of ride‑hailing giant Gojek and a former education minister, to 18 years in prison over his alleged role in a pandemic-era laptop procurement scandal.
Prosecutors' Case
Prosecutors say the procurement of Chromebook devices and Chrome OS licenses for schools between 2020 and 2022 resulted in approximately $125.64 million in state losses and that Makarim personally profited roughly 809 billion rupiah (about $46.33 million). They allege he drafted tender specifications tailored to the Chrome system to "make Google the sole controller of [the] education ecosystem in Indonesia," effectively excluding other vendors.
Key Allegations and Context
According to the indictment, the ministry purchased Chromebooks despite a 2018 internal assessment warning that the devices depended on reliable internet access — a significant limitation in remote parts of Indonesia where connectivity is uneven. Prosecutors also say the ministry moved ahead after Makarim met several times in 2020 with representatives of Google Asia Pacific and Google Indonesia.
Legal Proceedings
Makarim, who resigned as Gojek's CEO in 2019 to serve as education minister until 2024, was detained in September alongside several senior ministry officials. He has denied wrongdoing. His lawyer, Ari Yusuf Amir, told Reuters prosecutors ignored new evidence presented in court and expressed disappointment with the sentencing demand. A verdict is expected in June.
Nadiem Makarim (quoted): "I think it could be quite devastating," he told Tech in Asia last month, warning the case could spook foreign investors.
So far, the court has handed prison terms of up to four and a half years to three ministry officials tied to the procurement scheme, including a technology consultant who was sentenced recently.
Note: $1 = 17,460 rupiah.
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