The Central Jakarta District Court will provide a live broadcast of the defense plea (pleidoi) for former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. This decision follows the high level of public interest in the corruption case surrounding the procurement of Chromebooks involving the former minister.
“We are facilitating a live streaming service. The public can watch the proceedings from their homes, eliminating the need for in-person attendance,” stated Husnul Khotimah, Chief of the Central Jakarta District Court, in an official release on Monday, June 1, 2026.
The hearing is scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM Western Indonesian Time (WIB) at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court. It will be aired via the official YouTube channel of the Central Jakarta District Court. Husnul noted that the live stream is intended to manage the limited capacity of the courtroom, which can only accommodate approximately 70 people, including the defendant’s family and members of the press.
In anticipation of the hearing, the court has made extensive preparations within the courtroom. Strategically placed cameras will document the proceedings without interfering with the trial process or those in attendance. Managing the media area has been a primary focus given the intense public scrutiny surrounding the case.
During today’s session, Nadiem is set to deliver his personal defense plea before his legal team presents their arguments. Nadiem’s attorney, Ari Yusuf Amir, confirmed that his client has completed simulations to ensure a smooth presentation.
“Mr. Nadiem conducted a simulation for his plea delivery yesterday,” Ari said when contacted on Monday, June 1, 2026. Nadiem’s personal defense note spans approximately 30 to 40 pages, and he is expected to spend about one hour reading it before the panel of judges.
Following his personal statement, the legal defense team will present their side. However, Ari clarified that they will not read the entire 1,000-page document. “Reading the entire text would be excessive, so we will focus on the summary,” Ari explained. The legal team has also prepared a digital presentation using slides and video snippets that highlight key facts established during the trial. Ari noted that this approach serves to underscore testimony critical to the defendant’s case, providing visual examples of the evidence discussed throughout the trial.
This defense hearing represents a crucial opportunity for Nadiem and his counsel to respond to the prosecution’s demands, which were read on May 23, 2026. In their demands, the prosecutors requested that the panel of judges sentence Nadiem to 18 years in prison.
“We demand that the panel of judges declare the defendant, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, legally and convincingly guilty of committing corruption collectively,” stated prosecutor Roy Riady during the reading of the charges.
In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecution has demanded that Nadiem pay a fine of Rp 1 billion, with a subsidiary penalty of 190 days in confinement. Prosecutors have further requested an additional sentence in the form of restitution totaling Rp 5.68 trillion. If the restitution is not paid, Nadiem’s assets could be seized and auctioned to satisfy the obligation. Should his assets prove insufficient, the penalty could be substituted with an additional nine-year prison sentence.
The prosecution alleges that Nadiem personally enriched himself by Rp 809.59 billion and facilitated the enrichment of 12 private vendors involved in the Chromebook procurement. Investigators suggest the procurement of the Chrome OS-based laptops was driven by business interests linked to the relationship between Google and PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (AKAB)—a company founded by Nadiem, which later became part of PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia following a 2021 merger.
Furthermore, prosecutors claim the Chromebook procurement caused a state financial loss of Rp 2.18 trillion. This figure comprises Rp 1.56 trillion based on the audit results from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) and approximately Rp 621.38 billion related to the procurement of Chrome Device Management. Today’s hearing serves as the final stage for Nadiem to present his defense before the panel of judges delivers their verdict.
Amelia Rahima Sari contributed to this report.
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Summary
The Central Jakarta District Court will livestream the defense plea of former Minister Nadiem Makarim on June 2, 2026, to accommodate high public interest and limited courtroom capacity. The proceedings will be broadcast on the court’s official YouTube channel starting at 10:00 AM WIB, allowing the public to observe as Nadiem and his legal team present their case following the prosecution’s initial 18-year prison request.
Nadiem faces serious corruption allegations related to the procurement of Chromebooks, which prosecutors claim resulted in state losses of Rp 2.18 trillion and personal enrichment of Rp 809.59 billion. During the upcoming session, the former minister will deliver a personal defense, followed by a summarized presentation from his legal team, ahead of the court’s final verdict.