The legal defense team for former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, has formally requested that the Jakarta Corruption Court acquit their client of all charges brought by the Public Prosecutor (JPU).
During the hearing on Tuesday (June 2), lead counsel Dodi S. Abdulkadir urged the panel of judges to fully accept the defense’s plea, arguing that there is no legally sufficient evidence to prove that Nadiem Makarim committed corruption in relation to the Chromebook laptop procurement project.
“We request that the court acquit the defendant, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, of all charges filed by the Public Prosecutor, or at the very least, release him from all legal claims,” Dodi stated firmly during the proceedings.
The defense team emphasized that their client has not violated either the primary or subsidiary charges. Specifically, they asserted that the prosecution failed to demonstrate any wrongdoing under Article 2, paragraph (1) and Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption, in conjunction with Article 55, paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.
Following these arguments, the defense team urged the judges to issue an immediate order for Nadiem’s release from detention. “We ask the court to order the Public Prosecutor to release the defendant, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, from custody immediately once the verdict is read,” Dodi added.
Beyond the acquittal, the defense team is seeking the full rehabilitation of their client’s reputation. They argued that it is essential to “restore the defendant, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, to his original status, capability, honor, and dignity.”
Furthermore, the legal team requested that the court order the return of all seized assets without exception and mandate that the state bear all associated court costs.
“We request that the Public Prosecutor be ordered to return all items seized as evidence from the defendant, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, and that the costs of the case be charged to the state,” Dodi concluded.
The ongoing trial centers on allegations of corruption linked to a digital transformation project and the procurement of Chromebook laptops for the Ministry of Education and Culture between 2019 and 2022. In previous court sessions, the prosecution had demanded an 18-year prison sentence for Nadiem, alongside fines and restitution payments, citing an alleged state financial loss amounting to IDR 2.1 trillion.
Summary
The legal defense team for former Minister Nadiem Makarim has formally requested a full acquittal at the Jakarta Corruption Court regarding charges linked to a Chromebook procurement project. Lead counsel Dodi S. Abdulkadir argued that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove any corruption or legal violations, urging the court to release Nadiem from all charges and custody immediately.
Beyond seeking an acquittal, the defense team is requesting the full rehabilitation of Nadiem’s reputation, the return of all seized assets, and that the state cover all court costs. This trial involves allegations of state financial losses totaling IDR 2.1 trillion, for which the prosecution previously demanded an 18-year prison sentence.