An Indonesian court has sentenced former Education Minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim to 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption linked to the procurement of Chromebook laptops for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Jakarta Corruption Court ruled that Makarim abused his authority and caused state losses estimated at about $120 million. The court also ordered him to pay a fine of 1 billion rupiah and more than 809 billion rupiah in restitution, with additional prison time possible if the payment is not made.
However, judges said Makarim was not found guilty of directly seeking personal financial gain.
Makarim, 41, who co-founded the ride-hailing company Gojek in 2010, became one of Indonesia’s youngest cabinet ministers when he was appointed education minister in 2019. He served until 2024.
Prosecutors alleged that the Chromebook purchase decision was connected to investments by US technology company Google in Gojek. Google was not charged and has denied any wrongdoing.
Makarim rejected the allegations, saying the procurement saved government money and calling the case an “investigative error.” He said he would appeal the verdict.
The former minister’s conviction marks a major setback for a businessman once viewed as a leading figure in Indonesia’s technology and startup industry.
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