ICW Urges KPK Oversight Board to Investigate Leadership Over Yaqut's House Arrest
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged the KPK to be transparent regarding the change in status of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) to house arrest. ICW assesses that this status creates the impression of special treatment given by the KPK to Yaqut.
“The KPK must provide a transparent explanation regarding the reasons why YCQ was moved from the KPK detention centre to house arrest. This constitutes a form of privilege granted by the KPK to the corruption suspect,” said Head of the Legal and Investigation Division of ICW, Wana Alamsyah, to reporters on Sunday (22/3/2026).
ICW stated that the KPK has maintained strict standards in suspending the detention of corruption suspects. However, in Yaqut’s case, the KPK has not provided detailed explanations.
“Based on ICW’s records, the transfer of detention carried out by the KPK is quite strict, one of which is due to health reasons,” he said.
ICW also warned the KPK of the potential impacts of placing Yaqut under house arrest. ICW is concerned that Yaqut could eliminate evidence or influence witnesses in the ongoing Hajj quota corruption case investigation.
“This will become a bad precedent for eradicating corruption in Indonesia. Because, the suspect has the potential to damage and eliminate evidence, or influence witnesses when under house arrest,” Wana stated.
Furthermore, Wana urged the KPK Oversight Board (Dewas) to intervene and examine the KPK leadership. ICW assesses that the change in Yaqut’s status to house arrest is inseparable from the approval of the KPK leadership.
“The KPK Oversight Board must conduct an examination of the KPK leadership regarding this case. Because, it is reasonable to suspect that the KPK leadership knew and gave approval to move YCQ from the detention centre to house arrest,” he said.
The change in Yaqut’s detention status was also not first announced by the KPK. Yaqut’s absence from the KPK Detention Centre was initially revealed by the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel during Eid on Saturday (21/3).
After the testimony from Noel’s wife became widely discussed, the KPK finally spoke out to explain Yaqut’s whereabouts. On Saturday night (21/3), KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that Yaqut is currently under house arrest.
“It is true, the investigators carried out a transfer of the type of detention for suspect Brother YCQ, from detention at the KPK Detention Centre to house arrest, since Thursday night (19/3) last,” said Budi on Saturday (21/3).
The KPK did not provide clear reasons regarding the transfer of Yaqut’s detention status. The KPK only stated that house arrest for Yaqut is temporary.
Budi also stated that the transfer of Yaqut to house arrest was not due to health factors. Budi said that house arrest for Yaqut was carried out after the KPK received a request from the family.
The KPK then granted the request, without providing further details regarding the reasons the Yaqut family submitted the request.
“Not because of illness. So indeed because there was a request from the family, then we processed it,” Budi explained.