The suspect in the alleged hajj quota corruption case, Yaqut Cholil\nQoumas (Gus Yaqut), is currently under the spotlight because his status\nhas changed to house arrest since 19 March 2026. The former Minister of\nReligious Affairs became a house detainee after his family requested it\nfrom the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on 17 March 2026.<\/p>\n
However, this only came to light on 21 March 2026. The KPK confirmed\nthe truth of Gus Yaqut\u2019s status. The KPK even stated that other\ndetainees in the State Detention Centre or KPK Branch Detention Centre\ncould apply for house arrest like Gus Yaqut.<\/p>\n
In response, Chairman of Exponen 08, M. Damar, called on the KPK\nSupervisory Board or other authorised parties to immediately examine the\npolicy. Because it could undermine President Prabowo Subianto\u2019s\ncommitment to eradicating corruption.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this case, the KPK Supervisory Board or whoever is authorised\nshould immediately investigate. Because it harms President Prabowo\u2019s\ncommitment to eradicating corruption,\u201d he said in his statement on\nSunday (22\/3\/2026).<\/p>\n
Damar requested that the KPK Supervisory Board and all authorised\ninstitutions immediately investigate all investigators and KPK officials\nauthorised to grant the permission. \u201cInvestigate all investigators and\nKPK officials authorised who granted the permission. This harms the\nPresident\u2019s commitment to eradicating corruption,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
He also assessed that the KPK\u2019s decision could set a bad precedent in\neradicating corruption cases and damage the integrity of the KPK that\nhas been built over time.<\/p>\n
Moreover, this determination is highly unusual because it was not\nknown to the public for a while. According to him, the KPK should\nexplain to the public regarding Gus Yaqut\u2019s status and reasons for\nbecoming a house detainee.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause as a suspect, he has the potential to eliminate evidence and\ninfluence witness statements if not detained in the KPK Detention\nCentre,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Damar continued that what the KPK did to Gus Yaqut in granting house\narrest status could impact the legal processes of other corruption cases\ncurrently underway at the KPK. According to him, it is not impossible\nfor other detainees to demand similar treatment to Yaqut.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my view, this could damage the integrity and system of corruption\neradication at the KPK. Especially since the public only learned about\nit later, when a detainee\u2019s family conveyed to the public that Gus Yaqut\nwas not in detention,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As is known, the KPK shifted the detention of former Minister of\nReligious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest. Yaqut received\nthat status after 7 days of detention in the KPK Detention Centre.<\/p>\n
The change in Yaqut\u2019s detention status was also not first announced\nby the KPK. Yaqut\u2019s absence from the KPK Detention Centre was initially\nrevealed by the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel\nEbenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel during Eid on\nSaturday (21\/3\/2026).<\/p>\n
After the testimony from Noel\u2019s wife became widely discussed, the KPK\nfinally spoke out to explain Yaqut\u2019s whereabouts. On Saturday night\n(21\/3), KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that Yaqut is currently\nunder house arrest.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is true, the investigators carried out a change in the type of\ndetention for the suspect Brother YCQ, from detention in the KPK\nDetention Centre to house arrest, since Thursday night (19\/3) last,\u201d\nsaid Budi on Saturday (21\/3).<\/p>\n
No detailed reasons were explained for why the request was granted.\nThe KPK only stated that house arrest for Yaqut is temporary.<\/p>\n
Budi also stated that the shift in Yaqut\u2019s detention to house arrest\nwas not due to health factors; it was decided after the KPK received a\nrequest from the family. The KPK then granted the request without\nproviding further details on the family\u2019s reasons for applying.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot because of illness. So indeed because there was a request from\nthe family, then we processed it,\u201d Budi explained.<\/p>\n
Executive Director of Lingkar Madani (LiMA), Ray Rangkuti, criticised\nthe KPK\u2019s policy of granting house arrest status to the suspect in the\nhajj quota corruption case, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.<\/p>\n
The KPK guarantees that shifting the detention status of former\nMinister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest will\nnot disrupt the legal process of the 2024 hajj quota corruption\ncase.<\/p>\n
KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that the change in detention\nstatus of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas from\nDetention Centre to house arrest is temporary.<\/p>\n
Former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas is now under\nhouse arrest. ICW assesses it as very risky because there is potential\nfor eliminating evidence in the hajj quota corruption case.<\/p>\n
ICW urges the KPK Supervisory Board to examine the leadership of the\nanti-corruption agency after shifting the detention status of former\nMinister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas from detention centre\nto house arrest.<\/p>\n
All data and findings will later be thoroughly tested in the trial\nprocess.<\/p>\n
Gus Alex\u2019s first role in this case was to coordinate the\nimplementation of special hajj worship (PIHK) in Indonesia for the\ndistribution of additional quotas.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/investigators-and-kpk-officials-who-allowed-yaqut-to-become-house-detainee-must-be-examined-1774194679", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }