Prosecutor in Nadiem Chromebook Case Promoted to North Jakarta District Prosecutor

Attorney General ST Burhanuddin has officially rotated 16 structural officials within the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia. One name that drew attention is Roy Riady, the public prosecutor in the alleged corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebooks that ensnared former Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Nadiem Makarim. Roy, who previously served as Assistant for Asset Recovery at the Lampung High Prosecutor's Office, has now been entrusted to lead the North Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office.

The decision is contained in Attorney General's Decree Number Kep-IV-10422/C/09/2026 dated 22 September 2026 concerning the Dismissal and Appointment from and within Structural Positions of Civil Servants of the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia. The document was signed by Deputy Attorney General for Development Hendro Dewanto. The Head of the Legal Information Center at the Attorney General's Office, Anang Supriatna, confirmed the rotation when contacted on Thursday (24/9/2026).

This move is not merely a routine transfer. Roy Riady became a public focus after demanding an 18-year prison sentence, a Rp 1 billion fine, and trillions of rupiah in restitution for Nadiem Makarim in the Chromebook procurement case. During the sentencing hearing in May 2026, Roy stressed that his indictment was built on evidence and trial facts, not assumptions. "People can lie, but electronic evidence cannot lie," he said at the time.

Roy's appointment as Head of the North Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office, a jurisdiction covering business and government centers, marks the institution's trust in his track record. However, several legal observers assess that this promotion could also be read as an effort by the Attorney General's Office to show that handling major cases leads to career advancement, while also defusing criticism over the slow handling of other corruption cases.

In the rotation list, the position of Head of the North Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office was previously held by Syahrul Juaksha Subuki, who has now been promoted to Assistant for General Crimes at the West Java High Prosecutor's Office. Besides Roy, several other names also shifted, such as Oktafian Syah Effendi who became Head of the Central Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office, and Armen Wijaya who filled the position of Head of the South Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office.

For professionals and business actors, especially in North Jakarta, which serves as a logistics gateway and industrial area, the new leadership at the local district prosecutor's office will determine the climate of law enforcement in the region. The head of a district prosecutor's office has a strategic role in handling corruption, customs, and business disputes that directly impact investment certainty. Roy, known for being vocal in major cases, is expected to bring a deterrent effect, but must also maintain professionalism to avoid the impression of criminalization.

Transparency in rotations within the Attorney General's Office remains a work in progress. Although rotation is common in organizations, the public has the right to know the basis for assessing the performance and integrity of promoted officials. Moreover, some of the rotated names previously handled cases that attracted public attention, raising questions about whether the promotions are purely merit-based or involve other considerations.

Going forward, the public will scrutinize Roy Riady's steps at the North Jakarta District Prosecutor's Office. Will he continue the aggressive prosecution style as in the Chromebook case, or will he face a tough test when dealing with cases involving major interests in the region. What is clear is that integrity and consistency are at stake, not only for Roy, but also for the face of law enforcement in Indonesia.