Sick, Nadiem Makarim did not attend the Chromebook Corruption Trial

JAKARTA - Nadiem Anwar Makarim's lawyer, Ari Yusuf Amir, said his client could not attend the trial for alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebooks, at the Corruption Court at the Jakpus PN, because of illness.

"Today Nadiem is sick and can't walk to the trial, his body is very weak," said Ari as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 5.

The hearing for the Chromebook corruption case today is scheduled to examine witnesses or experts to lighten (a de charge).

Ari explained that Nadiem had actually been ill since Monday afternoon (4/5) and had collapsed in the waiting room of the PN Jakpus detainees.

However, after the trial, he said, the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for the period 2019-2024 was not immediately taken to the hospital (RS) after the trial.

This is because the prosecutor in the field is confused with the administration of carrying Nadiem to the hospital.

"After waiting for several hours after the trial, he was only taken to the hospital at night. There was no firmness from the panel of judges over this condition," he said.

However, Ari said that his client is currently in the hospital.

Nadiem is a defendant in the case of alleged corruption in the education digitization program in the form of the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) in the Ministry of Education and Culture environment in 2019-2022.

In that case, he was charged with corruption that caused losses to state finances worth Rp2.18 trillion.

The corruption was allegedly carried out by carrying out the procurement of learning facilities based on information and communication technology with Chromebook laptops and CDM in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 budget years not in accordance with planning and procurement principles.

Nadiem's actions were charged together with three other defendants in a different trial, namely Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih as well as Jurist Tan, who is currently still at large.

In detail, the losses caused by the state include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitization program at the Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as 44.05 million US dollars or the equivalent of Rp621.39 billion due to the procurement of CDM that is not necessary and not useful in the education digitization program.

With this act, Nadiem is suspected of having received money amounting to IDR 809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) through PT Gojek Indonesia.

It is stated that most of PT AKAB's money comes from Google's investment of US$786.99 million.

This, said the prosecutor, can be seen from Nadiem's wealth which is recorded in the State Asset Report (LHKPN) in 2022, namely there is an acquisition of property in the form of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion.

For his actions, Nadiem is threatened with a criminal penalty as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.