JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) \u2014\u00a0Indonesian\u00a0prosecutors on Wednesday sought an 18-year prison sentence for a co-founder of ride-hailing and payments giant\u00a0Gojek\u00a0over his alleged role in a corruption case tied to the procurement of\u00a0Google\u00a0Chromebook laptops for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
At a hearing at\u00a0Jakarta\u2019s\u00a0Corruption Court, prosecutors also sought a fine of 1 billion rupiah (about $57,180) and requested the seizure of\u00a0Nadiem Anwar Makarim\u2019\u00a0s assets if he fails to repay 809 billion rupiah (about $48.2 million) linked to the program, along with 4.8 trillion rupiah (about $275.4 million) in funds they described as unexplained wealth.<\/p>\n
Under the proposal, he would face an additional nine years in prison if he does not comply within one month after a final court ruling.<\/p>\n
Makarim was\u00a0arrested in September\u00a0after an investigation into the procurement, which prosecutors say caused about $125 million in state losses. Earlier this week, judges approved a change in his detention status to house arrest following surgery.<\/p>\n
The trial has drawn significant public attention, often attended by hundreds of \u201cojek\u201d motorcycle taxi drivers showing solidarity for the man who revolutionized Indonesia\u2019s gig economy.<\/p>\n
The case centers\u00a0on allegations that Makarim, who served as education minister from 2019 to 2024, \u201cenriched himself\u201d through the government\u2019s Chromebook procurement program in 2020\u20132022. Prosecutors told the three-judge panel that he abused his position to influence policy decisions and corporate dealings.<\/p>\n
They alleged Makarim pressured Google to invest in PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB), the parent company of Gojek, which later became part of GoTo Group.<\/p>\n
During proceedings, prosecutors downplayed testimony from\u00a0three former Google executives\u00a0who said Google\u2019s investment in GoTo was unrelated to the Indonesian government\u2019s decision to procure Chromebooks for schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cGoogle\u2019s investment in GoTo is considered a mutually beneficial relationship that may have influenced Chromebook procurement policy,\u201d prosecutors told the court, asserting that the Chromebook procurement and Google\u2019s investment \u2014 totaling about $787 million via Google Asia Pacific \u2014 were interconnected.<\/p>\n
A panel of judges is expected to deliver a verdict in the coming weeks. If convicted, Makarim faces one of the harshest corruption sentences in recent Indonesian history.<\/p>\n
Responding to the sentencing demand, Makarim denied wrongdoing and criticized what he called an excessive punishment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are lawful earnings from building a company and creating jobs,\u201d he told reporters after the hearing, referring to his stake in Gojek, \u201cI am effectively being charged with 27 or 28 years in prison, far more than many violent criminals.”<\/p>\n
He said there was \u201cno administrative violation and no element of corruption\u201d in his actions, adding that the restitution sought by prosecutors far exceeded his actual wealth.<\/p>\n
The Chromebook program was launched during the pandemic to support remote learning. Prosecutors said Makarim favored Chromebooks despite concerns they were ineffective in areas with limited internet access.<\/p>\n
Makarim has maintained that procurement decisions were made by technical officials, not by him. His lawyers argue he divested from PT AKAB upon taking office and that his wealth declined during his tenure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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