KPK Deputy Honours South Jakarta District Court's Rejection of Yaqut's Pre-Trial Motion
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) through its Deputy for Prosecution and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu expressed appreciation and respect for the decision of South Jakarta District Court judge Sulistyo Muhammad Dwi Putro, who rejected the pre-trial motion filed by former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas regarding an alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas.
“I wish to convey appreciation and respect for the court’s decision. Certainly, we respect the decision made by the bench,” said Asep at the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (11 March).
Asep expressed gratitude that the KPK could continue handling the alleged additional hajj quota corruption case. This week, he stated, the KPK has scheduled an examination of Yaqut.
“Because indeed his current status is that of a suspect. He has been summoned. This week,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of detaining Yaqut, Asep explained that many factors are being considered, including the case handling strategy. Additionally, in this case there is another suspect—Yaqut’s special staff member named Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Gus Alex.
“There are many things we need to consider. It is not just about meeting the elements of the statute but also how we handle the case. This case involves more than one suspect; there is another suspect,” said the one-star police general.
Previously, the single judge of the South Jakarta District Court Sulistyo Muhammad Dwi Putro rejected the pre-trial motion in case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026 filed by applicant Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in its entirety.
“The court decides: in the principal matter: to reject the applicant’s pre-trial motion in its entirety,” stated the judge in the courtroom Oemar Seno Adji at the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (11 March).
The judge stated that the suspect designation imposed by the KPK against Yaqut is in accordance with Constitutional Court Decision No. 21 of 2014 dated 28 April 2015 and Supreme Court Regulation (Perma) No. 4 of 2016.
Yaqut and Ishfah were designated by the KPK as suspects in the alleged additional hajj quota corruption case. However, both remain undetained to date. The KPK previously stated that it respects the ongoing pre-trial process.
Nevertheless, the KPK has requested the Directorate General of Immigration to prevent Yaqut and Ishfah from leaving the country for six months until 12 August 2026.
During the ongoing investigation, the KPK has conducted searches at various locations including Yaqut’s residence in Condet, East Jakarta, a hajj and umrah travel agency office in Jakarta, the residence of a Ministry of Religious Affairs civil servant in Depok, and offices of the Directorate General for the Organisation of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Numerous items of evidence allegedly related to the case have been seized, including documents, electronic evidence, as well as vehicles and property.
Based on calculations by the State Audit Board (BPK), the state is said to have suffered losses totalling approximately 622.090.207.166,41 rupiah (622 billion rupiah) from the alleged additional hajj quota corruption case for the organisation of the hajj in 2023 and 2024.
This figure was released some time ago, well after Yaqut and Ishfah were designated and announced by the KPK as suspects.