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KUALA LUMPUR, JUNE 2026 — Former Indonesian Education Minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty in a high-profile corruption case linked to the procurement of Google Chromebook laptops for schools.
The verdict was delivered by Indonesia’s Corruption Court in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, marking a major development in one of the country’s most closely watched graft cases involving a former senior government official and a prominent technology entrepreneur.
Nadiem, 41, served as Indonesia’s Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology from 2019 to 2024 under former President Joko Widodo’s administration. Before entering government, he was widely known as the co-founder of Gojek, one of Southeast Asia’s most successful ride-hailing and digital payments platforms.
The case centred on the government’s decision to procure Google Chromebook laptops for Indonesian schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors alleged that the procurement process caused state losses estimated at around US$125 million.
Judges found Nadiem guilty of abuse of authority and said his actions had contributed to state losses. However, reports stated that the court did not find him guilty of directly seeking to enrich himself.
Apart from the 10-year prison sentence, the court also fined Nadiem 1 billion rupiah and ordered him to repay more than 800 billion rupiah, equivalent to about US$45 million. If he fails to repay the amount, an additional five years may be added to his sentence.
The sentence was lower than the 18 years in prison sought by prosecutors, who had accused Nadiem of using his ministerial authority to influence policy decisions and procurement arrangements.
The Chromebook procurement programme was intended to support digital learning during the pandemic, when schools across Indonesia were forced to rely heavily on remote education. However, the project later came under scrutiny over allegations of conflict of interest, procurement irregularities and the use of specific technology requirements that allegedly favoured Google’s Chrome ecosystem.
Nadiem has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Following the verdict, he said he would appeal the decision and insisted that there was no bribery, conflict of interest or proven state loss in the case.
He also argued that the policy was designed to provide affordable devices for students and claimed that the procurement decision helped save public funds rather than harm the state.
The case has drawn strong public attention in Indonesia, not only because of Nadiem’s political role, but also because of his reputation as one of the country’s most recognised technology figures. His supporters, including academics and members of the startup community, have questioned the strength of the case and expressed concern over its wider impact on governance and investor confidence.
At the same time, the verdict is likely to intensify public debate over corruption, public procurement and accountability in Indonesia’s education sector.
Indonesia has long faced challenges in ensuring transparency in large-scale government procurement projects, especially those involving technology, infrastructure and public services. The Nadiem case has now placed renewed focus on how digital education programmes are managed and monitored.
For the Indonesian government, the case is expected to become an important reference point in future procurement reforms, particularly for projects involving foreign technology companies and public education budgets.
The ruling also comes at a sensitive time for Indonesia’s investment climate. Legal experts and business observers have warned that high-profile cases involving former ministers and startup figures could affect perceptions of legal certainty in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Despite the conviction, the legal process is not yet over. Nadiem’s planned appeal means the case could continue through higher courts, keeping public attention fixed on one of Indonesia’s most controversial corruption trials in recent years.
For now, the verdict marks a dramatic fall for a once-celebrated reform figure who entered government after building one of Indonesia’s most successful digital companies.
