Corruption Commission Secures Preliminary Court Victory and Schedules Yaqut Interrogation This Week
The Corruption Commission (KPK) has immediately scheduled an interrogation of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas as a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas this week.
On Wednesday, 11 March, the KPK secured a victory in preliminary court proceedings against Yaqut. “In the near future, we will call the person in question. We will call them first (as a suspect). Of course, currently their status is as a suspect. This week,” stated Asep Guntur Rahayu, KPK’s Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, who appeared at Jakarta South District Court coinciding with the announcement of the preliminary court decision on Wednesday, 11 March.
This one-star police general indicated that handling the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas has become a priority for resolution. Particularly, the Investigation Order (Sprindik) has been in effect since August of last year.
Asep ensured the KPK would expedite the handling of the case. “It needs to be expedited because this matter falls within our priorities, the Investigation Order has been active since last August if I recall correctly, and it has been progressing, which is why it is a priority,” he said.
When asked about detaining Yaqut, Asep explained that many considerations are involved, including the strategy for handling the case. Additionally, there is another suspect in this case: Yaqut’s special staff member named Ishfah Abidal Azizali, also known as Gus Alex.
“There are many things we need to consider. It is not only about meeting the elements of the statute, but also about how we will handle the case. This case does not involve just one suspect; there are others,” Asep explained.
“With regard to detention, it is a matter of our strategy. We look at how we will handle the case strategically and so forth. We consider these factors. If our considerations align, of course we would not delay,” he emphasised.
Earlier, Judge Sulistyo Muhammad Dwi Putro of Jakarta South District Court ruled to reject the preliminary court application, case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026, filed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in its entirety.
“The Court rules: in the principal matter, to reject the applicant’s preliminary court application in its entirety,” the judge stated in the Oemar Seno Adji courtroom at Jakarta South District Court on Wednesday, 11 March.
The judge ruled that the suspect designation imposed by the KPK against Yaqut complies with Constitutional Court Decision No. 21 of 2014 dated 28 April 2015 and Supreme Court Regulation No. 4 of 2016.
Yaqut and Ishfah were designated by the KPK as suspects in the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas. However, neither has been detained to date. The KPK previously stated it respects the ongoing preliminary court process.
Nevertheless, the KPK has already requested the Directorate General of Immigration to prevent Yaqut and Ishfah from leaving the country for six months until 12 August 2026.
During the investigation process, the KPK has conducted searches at multiple locations including Yaqut’s residence in Condet, East Jakarta, offices of hajj and umrah travel agencies in Jakarta, the residence of a Religious Affairs Ministry civil servant in Depok, and the office of the Directorate General for the Organisation of Hajj and Umrah at the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Numerous pieces of evidence allegedly related to the case have been seized, including documents, digital evidence, vehicles, and property.
According to calculations by the State Audit Board (BPK), the state allegedly suffered losses totalling Rp622,090,207,166.41 (approximately Rp622 billion) from the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for the conduct of hajj in 2023 and 2024.
This figure was released some time after Yaqut and Ishfah were designated and announced by the KPK as suspects.