Attorney for Yaqut Yakin Praperadilan Granted, Suspect Status Cancelled

JAKARTA - The legal team of former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas believes that the single judge of the preliminary hearing at the South Jakarta District Court granted the request to cancel the determination of the status of a suspect in the Hajj quota case.

"We as the applicant strongly believe that the Single Judge of the South Jakarta District Court will grant the pretrial application we have submitted. This belief is not merely an assumption, but is based on the facts of the trial, evidence, and statements of experts that were revealed publicly during the trial process," said Yaqut's lawyer, Mellisa Anggraini, in a written statement, Tuesday, March 10.

Mellisa explained that the grounds for the application had been proven in the trial, both through the expert testimony we presented and the experts presented by the respondent.

"Even in his answer, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) admitted that there was an error in the application of Article 55 of the old Criminal Code regarding the participation offense that has been replaced in the New Criminal Code, which is said to be "adjusted". The statement indirectly shows that there was an error in the application of criminal law provisions that served as the basis for the determination of suspects against our client, Gus Yaqut," said Mellisa.

In addition, during the process of determining the suspect, serious procedural defects were also found. At the time of the determination of the suspect, the letter of determination of the suspect was never handed over to Yaqut.

What was given was only a letter of notification without attaching the letter of determination of the suspect itself, although legally the document that has binding force is the letter of determination of the suspect.

This fact was said by Mellisa was strengthened by the testimony of experts presented by the KPK itself at the trial.

"Furthermore, in the trial, the fundamental issue regarding the authority in determining the suspect was also revealed. Based on the amendment to the KPK Law and the provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code, the KPK leadership no longer has the authority as an investigator, so that the action of determining the suspect must be carried out by investigators who are legally authorized," he continued.

In addition, another important aspect that was also revealed was related to the calculation of state losses. In the practice of law enforcement, the results of the audit of state losses should have been available before a person was named a suspect.

However, in fact, the KPK itself said that the report on the results of the audit of state losses was only published on February 20, 2026, which means it appeared after the determination of the suspect was made.

This situation was emphasized by the Yaqut legal team, showing that there were serious problems in the aspects of procedures and legal grounds for the determination of the suspects.

"Therefore, our belief in the acceptance of this pretrial application is not a blank belief, but a belief based on the facts of the trial, the evidence submitted, and the clear legal basis, all of which have been revealed clearly before the panel of judges during the trial process," he said.

"We fully respect the ongoing judicial process and place our trust in the judge to decide this case objectively, based on the law and the facts revealed at the trial," said Mellisa.