Pre-trial Rejected; Status as Suspect in Yaqut's Hajj Quota Case Remains in Force
A single judge at South Jakarta District Court has rejected all pre-trial motions filed by former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas concerning his designation as a suspect in an alleged 2024 hajj quota corruption case.
The ruling was delivered by pre-trial judge Sulistyo Muhammad Dwiputro during a hearing at South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, 11 March. “In the main case, I reject the applicant’s entire pre-trial motion,” Sulistyo stated when delivering the verdict.
The judge also rejected objections raised by the respondent in the case. “Regarding the objection, I reject the respondent’s entire objection,” he said.
With the rejection of this pre-trial motion, the investigation being conducted by the Corruption Eradication Commission against Yaqut has been declared legally valid and can proceed to the next stage. In the verdict, the judge also ruled that the cost of the pre-trial proceedings would be borne by the state, with no costs imposed on the applicant.
The pre-trial motion was filed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on 10 February 2026 after the Corruption Eradication Commission designated him as a suspect in the case involving alleged corruption related to the diversion of additional hajj quota allocation in 2024. Besides Yaqut, the commission also designated Ishfah Abidal Aziz, a former special staff member of the Religious Affairs Ministry known as Gus Alex, as a suspect in the matter.
Previously, Yaqut’s legal counsel, Melisa Anggraini, argued that the designation of her client as a suspect did not meet the requirements for sufficient evidence. “The investigation and designation of the applicant as a suspect do not meet the requirements for sufficient evidence, both regarding allegations of fund transfers and abuse of authority,” Melisa stated after the hearing on Tuesday, 3 March.
However, with the judge’s ruling rejecting the pre-trial motion, Yaqut’s status as a suspect in the alleged hajj quota corruption case is now confirmed to remain in effect, and the legal process will continue at the investigation stage.