KPK to Face Second Pre-Trial Challenge from Hajj Quota Corruption Suspect
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will face a second pre-trial motion filed by Asrul Azis Taba, a suspect in the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024. Taba is a Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and Chairman of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Organisers of the Republic of Indonesia (Kesthuri).
“The KPK will attend this pre-trial process with respect for the panel of judges’ authority to examine the legality of the investigators’ actions,” KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo confirmed via written message on Saturday evening.
Budi stated that all arguments and evidence forming the basis for the search would be presented openly during the trial. He expressed confidence that the investigation process has a strong legal foundation and is juridically accountable, especially since the investigation has been declared complete and transferred to the prosecution stage.
“We ensure that the entire series of investigative processes, including the forced measure of a search, was carried out professionally, in accordance with statutory provisions, and fulfilled both the material and formal aspects as regulated in criminal procedure law,” Budi said. “The KPK invites the public to continue following and overseeing the legal process of this case.”
Asrul Azis Taba filed the second pre-trial motion to challenge the search action conducted by the KPK. The motion was registered at the South Jakarta District Court on Friday, 17 July 2026, three days after the KPK announced the completion of the investigation into the alleged corruption case. The case is registered under number 121/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.Sel, with the first hearing scheduled for Friday, 24 July 2026.
Previously, on Monday, 6 July 2026, a single judge at the South Jakarta District Court, I Ketut Darpawan, rejected Asrul’s pre-trial motion that challenged his naming as a suspect by the KPK. The judge ruled that the KPK had followed formal criminal procedure law in naming Asrul as a suspect.
On Tuesday, 14 July 2026, the KPK announced it had completed the investigation into the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024, naming four suspects. They are Asrul Azis Taba; former Minister of Religious Affairs for the 2019-2024 period, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; Yaqut’s Special Staff, Ishfah Abidal Aziz; and the Director of Operations of Maktour, Ismail Adham. The KPK Public Prosecutor has a maximum of 14 working days to prepare the indictment before transferring the case to the Corruption Court for trial.
In handling this case, the KPK is applying Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of the Criminal Code. These articles relate to state financial losses. Based on calculations by the Supreme Audit Agency’s audit team, the alleged corruption in the additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024 is suspected to have caused state losses amounting to IDR 622 billion.