“The entrepreneur who built one of Southeast Asia’s biggest technology companies walked into court backed by supporters in green Gojek jackets. He left in tears after judges sentenced him to prison in a case that has divided Indonesia.”
Nadiem Makarim, the co-founder of Indonesian technology giant Gojek and the country’s former education minister, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of corruption over a controversial government laptop procurement programme.
The 41-year-old was also ordered to repay 809 billion rupiah (about $45 million) that prosecutors alleged he gained through the scheme. If he cannot pay, the court ruled that his prison sentence will increase by another five years.
He was further fined one billion rupiah, with an additional 190 days in jail if the fine remains unpaid.
Nadiem has denied all wrongdoing throughout the case and immediately announced that he would appeal the verdict.
“I do not know what words I can use to explain how I feel today.”
Holding back tears after the ruling, he added:
“I do not know whom I should ask for help, or where I can seek justice. My only hope is in the Indonesian people, in those who still believe that truth still exists in this country.”
Nadiem became one of Indonesia’s best-known entrepreneurs after co-founding Gojek, the ride-hailing and digital payments platform that has grown into one of Southeast Asia’s largest technology companies with more than 170 million users.
He stepped down from the company in 2019 after being appointed education minister by then-President Joko Widodo, serving until 2024.
The case focused on the Education Ministry’s purchase of Chromebook laptops for schools between 2021 and 2022.
Prosecutors argued that the ministry bought the devices despite earlier findings that Chromebooks were unsuitable for many schools in remote parts of Indonesia because they depended heavily on reliable internet access.
They also alleged that Nadiem favoured Google, one of Gojek’s investors, after meeting company representatives in 2020.
According to prosecutors, procurement rules were designed in a way that effectively favoured Google’s Chrome operating system, giving the company a dominant position within Indonesia’s education technology sector.
They further accused Nadiem of causing state losses estimated at $125 million.
Nadiem rejected those accusations.
He argued that Google’s investment in Gojek had no connection to the procurement process and said purchasing Chromebooks actually reduced costs for the government.
He also insisted the 809 billion rupiah prosecutors claimed he had received never entered his personal accounts.
Instead, he said the money remained within Gojek’s corporate structure.
In its ruling, the three-judge panel said prosecutors had failed to prove that Nadiem personally enriched himself.
However, the judges concluded that he had abused his authority by allowing a conflict of interest that benefited his corporate relationships.
The decision triggered an emotional reaction both inside and outside the courtroom.
Supporters, including dozens of Gojek drivers wearing the company’s familiar green jackets, gathered outside the Jakarta courthouse carrying banners reading “We are with Nadiem” and “Free Nadiem.”
As the sentence was announced, boos rang out from outside while Nadiem appeared visibly emotional before embracing supporters after leaving the courtroom.
His family also expressed disappointment.
Before the hearing, his mother-in-law, Sania Makki, described the difficult months leading up to the verdict.
“It’s been difficult for almost 10 months. As a family, we have continued to pray, fight, and stand by him throughout this time.”
The conviction has sparked debate across Indonesia.
Some legal experts and human rights advocates argue the evidence presented during the trial did not justify such a severe sentence.
Lawyer and activist Todung Mulya Lubis questioned whether anti-corruption laws were being applied fairly.
“The eradication of corruption is being used to attack those who are not liked, or those who are critical of people in power.”
Political activist Andovi da Lopez said the verdict could discourage talented professionals from entering public service.
“There’s a feeling of fear.”
He added:
“People just say, ‘just don’t work with the government.’ And that fear is real.”
The case also arrives at a sensitive time for Indonesia, where rising living costs, a weakening rupiah and growing public frustration with government policies have fuelled protests in several cities.
For many Indonesians, the outcome represents more than the conviction of a former minister.
It has become a wider debate about justice, political power and whether reform-minded leaders can safely enter public office without becoming entangled in a system many believe still faces deep institutional challenges.
