KPK Absent, Yaqut Cholil Pre-Trial Hearing Postponed by One Week
Single judge of the South Jakarta District Court, Sulistyo Muhammad Dwi Putro, postponed the inaugural pre-trial hearing of former Religious Affairs Minister (2019–2024) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas by one week.
The postponement was due to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as respondent, failing to attend Tuesday’s hearing.
“The respondent, KPK, was summoned with a notice dated 11 February. As of 10.50 WIB, the respondent had not appeared,” the judge said in the Oemar Seno Adji courtroom at the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday (24 February).
The judge said the KPK had sent a letter dated 19 February 2026 essentially requesting the hearing be postponed by one week. The judge also showed the KPK’s letter to Yaqut’s side.
“So the hearing will be postponed one week to 3 March 2026. We will summon the KPK twice, as required under the Criminal Procedure Code. If the KPK does not appear on 3 March, the hearing will proceed regardless,” the judge said.
Meanwhile, Yaqut attended the hearing in person, accompanied by a large team of legal advisers, including Mellisa Anggraini, who agreed to the postponed date.
“We are fine with 3 March,” Mellisa said.
Mellisa informed the judge of minor amendments to the petition, stating these did not alter the substance of the application.
The judge requested that the amended petition be submitted on the same day and communicated to the KPK as respondent.
“Firstly, in section A of the introduction, paragraph 1, we have included a definition because we reference both the new and old Criminal Procedure Codes,” Mellisa explained.
“Secondly, regarding the summary on the first page — below the summary there were only three points, but substantively everything was already covered — we have added a fourth point,” she continued.
Yaqut and his special staff member Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Gus Alex, were named suspects by the KPK in an alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas. However, neither has been detained.
The KPK has requested the Directorate General of Immigration to reimpose a six-month overseas travel ban on Yaqut and Ishfah until 12 August 2026.
During the ongoing investigation, the KPK has searched several locations including Yaqut’s residence in Condet, East Jakarta; hajj and umrah travel agency offices in Jakarta; the home of a Religious Affairs Ministry civil servant in Depok; and the offices of the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah Operations at the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Numerous items of evidence allegedly linked to the case have been seized, including documents, electronic evidence, four-wheeled vehicles, and property.
According to the KPK’s preliminary calculations, the case is suspected to have caused state losses exceeding Rp1 trillion. The KPK is still awaiting final calculations being conducted by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).