Nadiem Makarim, 41, was found guilty of corruption over a controversial laptop deal and received a 10-year prison sentence. However, he faces more jailtime as he is unable to pay restitution. He had pleaded not guilty, according to BBC and the-star.co.ke.

Background and Government Role

Nadiem left Gojek in 2019 to join the government of previous president Joko Widodo and served as education minister until 2024. Critics of the Indonesian authorities say the case against him was based on little evidence and that he is the victim of a government campaign targeting political opponents, according to both sources.

Details of the Case

The case centers on the education ministry’s procurement of Chromebook laptops for schools in Indonesia from 2021 to 2022. Prosecutors alleged that the Chromebooks were purchased even though the ministry had determined in 2018 that the computers required an internet connection to be used, making them unsuitable in remote areas of Indonesia where internet connectivity is difficult, according to both sources.

In addition to the 10-year prison term, Nadiem was ordered to pay restitution of 809 billion rupiah ($45m, £34m) — the amount he was accused of enriching himself with, or serve an additional five years. Nadiem has said that as he is unable to pay this amount, he has effectively been sentenced to 15 years. He also faces a one billion rupiah fine. If unpaid, he will serve an additional 190 days in jail, according to BBC.

Prosecutors accused Nadiem of manipulating the school laptop procurement deal to enrich himself, leading to $125m (£94m) in state losses. They claim he personally gained some $46.3m by doing this. Nadiem has denied the charges, arguing that the ministry’s choice of purchasing the Chromebooks resulted in reduced costs for the government. He has also denied that Google’s investments in Gojek were connected to the procurement, according to the-star.co.ke.

Public Reaction and Legal Arguments

Nadiem had told the court earlier this month that he sacrificed a lot to serve in government and “the reward I received was iron bars.” Supporters outside the court house booed as the verdict was read out on Tuesday, according to the-star.co.ke.

Prosecutors argued that Nadiem’s actions violated the government’s anti-corruption pledges and harmed the education system. They said he created tender specifications that only fit the Chrome system to “make Google the sole controller of the education environment in Indonesia,” according to the-star.co.ke.