Court Rejects Pre-Trial Motion by Hajj Quota Corruption Suspect

The South Jakarta District Court has rejected a pre-trial motion filed by Asrul Azis Taba, Chairman of the Kesthuri association and Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama, who is a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024. Judge I Ketut Darpawan stated that the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) decision to name Asrul a suspect was lawful.

In the ruling read out on Monday, the judge considered two main issues: the suspect designation and the subsequent detention. The court found that the KPK had gathered four valid pieces of evidence before naming Asrul a suspect. These included witness statements from examinations conducted between 28 August 2025 and 23 January 2026, all of which were taken before Asrul’s status was changed. The KPK had also examined Asrul as a witness on two occasions.

Further evidence included expert testimony from state finance expert Syarkani Rudi and criminal law expert Hibnu Nugroho, as well as documentary evidence such as a task letter from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and a proposal for accelerating the quota for PT Raudah Eksati Utama. The judge also noted electronic evidence held by the KPK. The court dismissed the argument from Asrul’s legal team that he had not received a notification of the start of the investigation, stating that the investigation began on 8 August 2025, before a specific suspect had been identified.

The KPK welcomed the ruling, with spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stating that the decision affirms the investigation was conducted according to due process of law. The anti-graft body confirmed it will now finalise the case file and transfer it to the prosecution stage. Asrul is one of four suspects in the case, which also includes former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, his special staff member Ishfah Abidal Azis, and Maktour Operations Director Ismail Adham.