Yaqut on KPK examination after becoming house detainee: Alhamdulillah, it went smoothly

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The suspect in the alleged corruption case regarding the Hajj quota, who is also the former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, stated that he is grateful after undergoing his first examination by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) following his status as a house detainee at the end of last weekend. “Alhamdulillah, the examination went smoothly,” said Yaqut at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building, Jakarta, on Wednesday. When asked what was examined or delved into by the KPK investigators, Yaqut directed the journalists to ask the investigators because he was tired. “Regarding the material, please ask the investigators. Not me. I’m tired,” he said. Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023-2024. On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced that the initial calculation of state losses in the case reached more than Rp1 trillion, and prevented three people from travelling abroad for the next six months. Those prevented were former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex as Yaqut’s special staff, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur as the owner of the Maktour Hajj organising agency. However, Yaqut filed a pre-trial petition against the suspect determination to the South Jakarta District Court on 10 February 2026, registered under case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL. On 19 February 2026, the KPK announced an extension of the travel ban only for Yaqut and Gus Alex, while Fuad’s was not extended. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia regarding the state financial losses due to the Hajj quota case. Then, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion. Subsequently, on 11 March 2026, the panel of judges at the South Jakarta District Court rejected Yaqut’s pre-trial petition. Then, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the Detention Centre of the KPK’s Anti-Corruption Education Centre Branch. While walking to the detention vehicle, he stated that there was no order or flow of money in the Hajj quota case to Yaqut. On the same date, Yaqut’s family requested the KPK to make the former Minister of Religious Affairs a house detainee. The KPK then granted that request, and Yaqut has been a house detainee since 19 March 2026. On 23 March 2026, the KPK announced that it was processing the transfer of Yaqut’s detention from house arrest back to detention centre. On 24 March 2026, Yaqut officially became a KPK detention centre detainee.