Yaqut Placed Under House Arrest, Public Highlights KPK's Differential Treatment of Lukas Enembe Case
The change in detention status for former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest has drawn attention. The public is comparing the KPK’s stance towards former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, whose repeated requests for suspension of detention were rejected.
The spotlight on the KPK’s differential treatment of Yaqut and Lukas Enembe was also raised by Boyamin Saiman, Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI). He expressed surprise that the KPK granted Yaqut’s request for house arrest despite being healthy, while rejecting Enembe’s request for suspension of detention when he was ill at the time.
“What makes it amusing is the KPK’s reason because of a request from the family, and Lukas Enembe previously, even though there was a family request, it was not granted, even until he died in detention. Even when he was sick, it wasn’t granted, but YCQ here is perfectly healthy and it’s suspended,” said Boyamin on Sunday (22/3/2026).
KPK Rejects Enembe’s Requests for City Detention and Medical Treatment
According to detikcom records, Lukas Enembe was arrested by the KPK in Papua on 10 January 2023 over alleged bribery and gratification related to infrastructure projects in the Papua Provincial Government. Enembe was then brought to Jakarta and began serving detention at the KPK Detention Centre from 11 January.
During the detention process, Lukas Enembe, through his legal team, repeatedly submitted requests to suspend detention to become a city detainee. The reason used at that time was Enembe’s unstable health condition.
The request was rejected by the KPK. The KPK Spokesperson at the time, Ali Fikri, said that the health of KPK detainees, including Enembe, was routinely monitored by the medical team.
“We will first check the mentioned letter, but certainly the KPK does not detain suspects without basis in the Detention Centre. Regarding health matters, the health of KPK detainees is very much attended to; the legal advisors should focus on their defence. Of course, proportionally in accordance with legal mechanisms, convey that the suspect is cooperative so that the entire case handling process runs smoothly,” said Ali on 25 January 2023.
Failing to become a city detainee, Lukas Enembe was also recorded as having sent a letter to the KPK Chairman at the time, Firli Bahuri. The letter requested that he be given the opportunity to seek treatment in Singapore.
That request was again rejected by the KPK. The KPK stated that the assessment results from the medical team indicated that Lukas Enembe was healthy and could be detained in the detention centre until the trial process.
“From the assessment of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) executive board, it is clear that he is fit to be interviewed. That means he is fully conscious, meaning he can communicate for examination purposes, including fit to trial. Examinations can be conducted for legal interests,” said Ali Fikri on 7 February 2023.
Lukas Enembe remained at the KPK Detention Centre until he was found guilty by the court. The former Papua Governor then passed away on 26 December 2023 due to illness, and all corruption cases ensnaring him were declared ended by law.
KPK’s Treatment of Yaqut
A different treatment was then given by the KPK to Yaqut. The former Minister of Religious Affairs was detained by the KPK since Thursday (12/3) after becoming a suspect in the hajj quota corruption case. Just seven days detained at the KPK Detention Centre, Yaqut’s detention was then changed to house arrest on Thursday (19/3).
The change in Yaqut’s detention status was also not first announced by the KPK. Yaqut’s disappearance from the KPK Detention Centre was initially revealed by the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel during Eid on Saturday (21/3).
“This one, earlier I didn’t see Gus Yaqut. The info is he left on Thursday night,” said Silvia at the KPK Detention Centre on Saturday (21/3).
After the testimony from Noel’s wife became widely discussed, the KPK then spoke out and stated that Yaqut had become a house detainee. The KPK acknowledged that the change in detention status was not related to Yaqut’s health condition.
“Not because of illness. So indeed because there was a request from the external party, then we processed it,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters on Sunday (22/3).
The KPK also explained the different treatment received by Yaqut compared to Lukas Enembe. Budi only stated that each investigation has a different case handling strategy.
“Why different from LE? Each investigation process certainly has different conditions and case handling strategies, including in detaining someone as a suspect,” explained Budi.