Former KPK Investigator Criticises KPK Over Yaqut: No Special Treatment Allowed
Former KPK investigator Praswad Nugraha has launched a fierce criticism against the KPK following the transfer of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas from detention to house arrest. Praswad assesses that this incident has never occurred since the KPK was established.
“This policy is an event that has never happened throughout the history of the KPK. This practice is not only odd but also opens up grey areas in the standards of law enforcement that have been strictly maintained by the KPK,” Praswad told reporters on Monday (23/3/2026).
The KPK’s policy of granting the family’s request for Yaqut to be placed under house arrest will have a negative impact on case handling at the KPK. Praswad said this opens the opportunity for families of other detainees to demand the same treatment from the KPK.
Praswad explained that this KPK decision also has the potential to threaten the ongoing corruption investigation into the hajj quota case. With house arrest status, said Praswad, Yaqut has the opportunity to arrange strategies to escape legal snares.
“This condition poses a serious risk of disrupting the independence of the legal process and weakening proof efforts. This policy also indirectly degrades criminal acts of corruption from extraordinary crimes to ordinary crimes,” Praswad explained.
Praswad regrets the KPK’s attitude that appears to give special treatment to Yaqut. This attitude could erode public trust in the KPK’s anti-corruption efforts. He urged the KPK to immediately revoke Yaqut’s house arrest status and return him to the KPK detention centre.
“There must be no more KPK detainees treated specially as in Yaqut’s case. There must be no double standards in law enforcement, and there must be no party receiving privileges before the law,” Praswad stated.
Furthermore, Praswad also asked President Prabowo Subianto to intervene and pay attention. He suspects there was intervention received by the KPK leading to the approval of the house arrest request from Yaqut’s family.
“We urge President Prabowo Subianto to seriously investigate the possibility of intervention against the KPK that caused violations of the system and integrity that have been maintained so far. Do not let practices like this indicate the re-emergence of old problems within the KPK,” he said.
“This is a momentum for the President to demonstrate leadership as the supreme commander of anti-corruption efforts, not instead standing at the forefront of policies that provide leniency for corruptors,” Praswad added.
Yaqut’s detention was switched to house arrest since Thursday (19/3). KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said the house arrest for Yaqut was carried out after the KPK received a request from the family.
The KPK then granted that request, without providing further details on the reasons the family submitted the request.
“So indeed because there was a request from the family, then we processed it,” Budi explained on Sunday (22/3).