Indonesian Court Acquits Former Minister in Chromebook Graft Case

Judges rejected prosecutors’ arguments that the devices and software were overpriced and that internal evaluations were bypassed. The ruling also dismissed claims that the defendant received 809 billion rupiah connected to the transaction.

Defense Prosecutors accused the former minister of overpaying for the devices and software, bypassing internal evaluations, and receiving 809 billion rupiah linked to the deal. They pointed to Google’s investment in Gojek, the ride-hailing company the minister co-founded, as evidence of a conflict.

The former minister, 41, rejected every allegation. He said the prices were below market, the evaluations were outdated, and the purchases met urgent schooling needs during the pandemic. His lawyers argued the disputed funds were standard pre-IPO restructuring payments that never reached him personally and that prosecutors failed to prove personal gain or intent.

Dozens of supporters, many wearing Gojek’s green jackets, greeted the former minister before the hearing. Inside the courtroom he sat for more than four hours in a batik shirt while judges read sections of the 1,100-page ruling. The case has drawn attention because it tests whether disputed policy and business decisions can later be treated as criminal acts in Indonesia.

Recent graft convictions involving state-backed venture investments and sugar import permits have raised similar questions. The former minister left Gojek in 2019 to join the cabinet under then-President Joko Widodo. He has said the verdict could discourage professionals from entering public service and increase investor concerns over legal certainty.