The controversy over the Yaqut House Prisoner, the KPK's Head was flooded with reports to Dewas

The Jakarta Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building (ANTARA photo)

JAKARTA - A number of parties have successively reported the Head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to the KPK Supervisory Board. They are concerned about the transfer of the status of the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas who is a suspect in the corruption case of determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj.

The Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) was the first to submit its report to the KPK Supervisory Board on Wednesday, March 25. Boyamin Saiman, as coordinator, reported the KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto along with his deputy, Fitroh Rohcahyanto, Johanis Tanak, Ibnu Basuki Widodo, and Agus Joko Pramono.

Then it was also reported that the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, together with the KPK Spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo. There are several main complaints that were submitted to the KPK Supervisory Board.

"First, the KPK leadership is suspected of allowing the KPK to be intervened by outside parties in carrying out the transfer of the house arrest of the suspect YCQ and not reporting the intervention to the KPK Supervisory Board," he told reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, March 25.

In addition, Boyamin highlighted the difference in statements between KPK officials regarding Yaqut's health condition when he was transferred to house arrest. According to him, Budi Prasetyo as KPK Spokesperson has given a different statement from the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu regarding Yaqut's health.

"KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo gave information that the suspect YCQ was in good health when he was transferred from detention to house arrest, this is contrary to the Deputy for Enforcement of the KPK Asep Guntur who stated that YCQ was in a state of gout and asthma," explained Boyamin.

Then, Boyamin suspected that the decision to transfer the detention was not taken collectively by the KPK leadership. "So that makes it invalid and legally flawed," he said.

MAKI further questioned the aspect of openness of information which was considered not to be carried out by the KPK in the transfer process. Boyamin compared it with the detention process which was carried out openly in front of the public.

"Unlike when the arrest was made, there was a publication of the suspect Yaqut Cholil Qoumas displayed in the KPK lobby, which was then escorted into the car with the spotlight of the journalist's camera."

Not stopping there, MAKI also wrote to Commission III of the DPR RI urging the formation of a working committee (panja) to investigate this controversy. This request was delivered a day after the report or on Thursday, March 26.

"Although the YCQ has been returned to the detention center, the event has occurred a secret transfer of house detainees and various other irregularities so that the DPR Committee is still needed to photograph the alleged irregularities and recommendations for improvement in full," Boyamin said on a different occasion.

Immanuel Ebenezer's camp also reported to Dewas

After MAKI, it was the turn of Azis Yanuar as a representative of the Central Leadership Council (DPP) of the Islamic Brotherhood Lawyers to report five leaders along with the KPK's structural officials to the Supervisory Board on Friday, March 27. The lawyer for the former Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel Ebenezer suspected that there was a violation of the code of ethics in the form of the values of justice, professionalism, transparency, and government ethics related to the transfer of Yaqut's type of prisoner.

"What we report, first there is the Chairman of the KPK, then the Deputy Chairman of the KPK. The Deputy Chairman has four. Then there is the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, the Deputy for Coordination and Supervision, the Director of Investigation, there is the Director of Investigation and his Spokesperson," said Azis to reporters at the KPK Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, March 27.

"Because what we need to underline is that this is to our knowledge, this is rare, very rare, there is one anomaly, one extraordinary crime event that gets privileges," he continued.

Azis understands that the change in the type of detention of suspects in the alleged corruption case is regulated by the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) and other laws and regulations. However, he feels strange because corruption falls into the category of extraordinary crimes.

"Is it true that all (suspects in corruption cases, ed) can (file, ed) later? If so, yes, all KPK detainees want to file all of them," said Azis.

Azis also did not accept the KPK's excuse that it transferred Yaqut's detention to house arrest based solely on the family's request. "For example, the health reason that requires a valid medical record. That's our basis (to make a report, ed)," he said.

VOI has tried several times to contact the KPK Supervisory Board to ask for a response regarding this report. But, the response has not been given until now.

Meanwhile, the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, actually appreciated the report submitted. This step is said to be a form of public concern that monitors the corruption case of the Hajj quota.

"I personally express my deepest gratitude for the report from MAKI to the Dewas KPK regarding the handling of the haj quota corruption case," Asep told VOI, Wednesday, March 25.

Asep said the report had been submitted through the right channels. So, he invited the Dewas KPK to follow up.

"For me personally, the report is a form of concern from the community, in this case MAKI, towards eradicating corruption which we are doing," he said.

"And most importantly, the report was conveyed through the correct channel, in this case to the Dewas KPK," continued the former KPK Investigation Director.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said his party believed that the KPK Dewas would be objective in handling the report.

"The KPK respects every report submitted by the public to the KPK Supervisory Board as part of the public control mechanism for the implementation of the agency's duties and authorities," said Budi in a written statement, Wednesday, March 25.

Budi ensured that all processes in the investigation of alleged corruption in determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj, including the detention of the suspects, were in accordance with the rules.

Likewise with the transfer of the status of detention of the former Minister of Religion Yaqut. He handed over all follow-up complaints to the KPK Supervisory Board.

"The KPK ensures that all processes and steps taken have been carried out in accordance with the mechanisms, procedures, and provisions of applicable laws and regulations," said Budi.

"We believe the Supervisory Board will follow up on the report objectively, professionally, and independently."

As previously reported, former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas had been under house arrest since Thursday, March 19. The transfer of the status of detention was carried out after there was a request from the family on March 17 or five days after the detention on Thursday, March 12.

The KPK claims that the change in status from prison detention to house arrest has been reviewed and is in accordance with Article 108 paragraph (1) and (11) of Law Number 20 of 2025 concerning the Criminal Procedure Code.

Article 108 paragraph (11) regulates that the transfer of type of detention can be carried out based on an investigation order which is given to the suspect, the suspect's family, and the interested parties.

After the polemics, the KPK then re-detained Yaqut at the Red and White KPK Branch Detention Center on Tuesday, March 24. This process was initiated by a health examination first at Bhayangkara Hospital Tk. I. R. Said Sukanto, East Jakarta on Monday, March 23.