Pre-trial Hearing Verdict on Yaqut's Hajj Quota Corruption Case Held Today

A pre-trial hearing verdict on the legal challenge filed by former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas regarding his suspect status in a hajj quota corruption case was held today. The hearing took place in the Oemar Seno Adji courtroom at Jakarta South District Court.

“Agenda: verdict announcement,” according to the Case Information Retrieval System (SIPP) of Jakarta South District Court viewed on Wednesday (11/3/2026).

The hearing was scheduled to begin at 10.00 WIB. This pre-trial motion is being examined and adjudicated by sole judge Sulistyo Muhamad Dwi Putro.

Yaqut’s legal team is confident the judge will uphold the pre-trial motion. Yaqut’s camp stated this confidence is based not merely on assumption but on factual evidence presented during proceedings, documentary evidence, and expert testimony.

“The arguments we raised in the motion have been proven during proceedings, both through expert testimony we presented and testimony from experts presented by the opposing party,” said Mellisa Anggraini, Coordinator of Yaqut’s Legal Team.

Mellisa alleged the KPK acknowledged errors in the application of Article 55 of the old Indonesian Criminal Code regarding complicity provisions, which have been replaced in the new Criminal Code and will be “adjusted.” She contended this indirectly demonstrates errors in applying criminal law provisions that formed the basis for designating Yaqut as a suspect.

“Serious procedural defects were also found in the process of designating the suspect. When the suspect designation was made, the formal suspect designation letter was never delivered to Nusyakut,” Mellisa stated.

“Only a notification letter was provided without attaching the actual suspect designation letter itself, whereas legally the binding document is the suspect designation letter. This fact is even corroborated by expert testimony presented by the KPK itself during proceedings,” she added.

She also highlighted provisions in the amended KPK and Criminal Procedure Code laws stating that KPK leadership no longer has investigatory authority. She argued the suspect designation must be made by an investigator who is properly authorised to do so.

“Another important aspect that also emerged concerns the calculation of state losses. In law enforcement practice, audit results on state losses should be available before someone is designated as a suspect. However, in fact, the KPK itself stated that the audit report on state losses was only issued on 20 February 2026, which means it appeared after the suspect designation was made,” she said.

KPK’s Confidence

The KPK is confident Yaqut’s pre-trial motion will be rejected by the judge. The KPK stated the process of designating Yaqut as a suspect followed both formal and substantive legal requirements.

“The KPK is certainly optimistic about the pre-trial hearing in the hajj quota case because we ensure that the entire process carried out complied with both formal and substantive aspects,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo.

Budi stated all investigative file requirements have been met. He said investigators have sufficient evidence to designate Yaqut as a suspect in the hajj quota corruption case.

“We have complied with applicable laws, including the designation of suspects which is based on sufficient evidence,” he explained.

Budi explained that in the hajj quota corruption case against Yaqut, losses are not limited to state finances. Those harmed also include prospective pilgrims who failed to depart because of Yaqut’s policy.

“We certainly invite the public to continue following developments in this case because if we discuss the hajj quota case being handled by the KPK with suspicion of Article 2 and Article 3,” he said.

“We see the case structure is not only about state financial losses but also involves social impacts felt by the public, particularly prospective pilgrims,” he added.

The Hajj Quota Case

For context, this hajj quota corruption case concerns the distribution of an additional 20,000 pilgrims for the 2024 hajj quota during Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s tenure as Religious Affairs Minister. The additional quota aimed to reduce the queue or waiting period for regular Indonesian pilgrims, which can reach 20 years or more.

Before the additional quota, Indonesia received a hajj quota of 221,000 pilgrims in 2024. After the increase, Indonesia’s total 2024 hajj quota became 241,000. The problem began when the additional quota was divided equally: 10,000 for regular pilgrims and 10,000 for special category pilgrims.

However, the Hajj Law stipulates special category hajj quota only comprises 8 per cent of Indonesia’s total hajj quota. Ultimately, Indonesia used 213,320 pilgrims for regular pilgrims and 27,680 for special category pilgrims in 2024.

The KPK stated that Yaqut’s policy resulted in 8,400 regular pilgrims who had already queued for more than 14 years and should have departed following the additional quota in 2024 being unable to do so.

Following the investigation, the KPK designated Yaqut and his former special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA), known as Gus Alex, as suspects. The KPK confirmed it has secured substantial evidence regarding these suspect designations. Yaqut has not been detained.

Yaqut subsequently challenged his suspect status by filing a lawsuit at Jakarta South District Court. Yaqut requested the sole judge of Jakarta South District Court to declare the KPK’s suspect designation letter against him as invalid.