JAKARTA: Nadiem Makarim, co-founder of Southeast Asian super-app Gojek and Indonesia’s former education minister, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Indonesian court on Tuesday after being found guilty in a corruption case linked to a school laptop procurement program.

Prosecutors said Makarim, 41, manipulated the 2021 to 2022 procurement of Chromebook laptops to favor Google, alleging the scheme caused state losses of IDR 2 trillion (USD 125 million) and personally benefited him by USD 46.3 million. Makarim pleaded not guilty, denying the allegations and saying the procurement reduced government costs.

The verdict prompted supporters to protest outside the courthouse, while some analysts and activists questioned the case, arguing it lacked sufficient evidence and was politically motivated. Prosecutors maintained that Makarim’s actions violated Indonesia’s anti-corruption laws and undermined the country’s education system.