KPK Faces Criticism Over Ex-Minister Yaqut’s House Arrest
The shift in the detention status of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest has sparked significant criticism. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is facing accusations of favoritism and a lack of transparency regarding the decision. The controversy surrounding Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s case has quickly become a focal point of public and political scrutiny.
As reported by detikcom on Monday, March 23, 2026, the change in Yaqut’s detention status was not initially announced by the KPK. Information about his absence from the KPK detention center first came to light through Silvia Rinita Harefa, the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), after visiting Noel during the Lebaran holiday on Saturday, March 21st.
“Honestly, we didn’t see Gus Yaqut. The information we received was that he left on Thursday night,” Silvia stated at the KPK detention center on Saturday, March 21st.
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The disappearance of Yaqut from the KPK detention center also raised questions among other detainees. Silvia said her husband and other KPK detainees were unaware of the reason for Yaqut’s departure from the detention cell.
“Everyone knew about it. But they were just wondering, saying there was supposed to be an examination, but it seems unlikely that there would be an examination on the eve of Eid al-Fitr,” Silvia explained.
According to testimony from Noel to Silvia, Yaqut was also not seen during the Eid al-Fitr prayers held at the detention center. The KPK had facilitated prayers for Muslim detainees.
“The information was that he was going to be examined, but people inside said he wasn’t there for the Eid prayers,” Sivia said.
Former Investigator Finds Yaqut’s House Arrest Status Peculiar
Former KPK investigator Yudi Purnomo Harahap expressed surprise at the KPK’s decision to place former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas under house arrest. Yudi believes the decision is highly unusual.
“This raises the question of whether the KPK lacks confidence in the evidence they have collected so far, both domestically and internationally, to the point of diverting the status of detention,” Yudi said to reporters on Sunday, March 22nd.
Yudi stated that the KPK should be transparent in explaining to the public the reasons for placing Yaqut under house arrest. He warned of the potential for suspects to destroy evidence or influence witnesses if not detained at the KPK detention center.
“What we have is very peculiar, and the KPK should revoke (Yaqu’s house arrest status). If the reason is illness, then the appropriate action is to be hospitalized, where, once healthy, he will be returned to detention,” he said.
According to Yudi, this step by the KPK could impact the legal process of other cases underway at the KPK. It is not impossible for other detainees to demand the same treatment as Yaqut.
“This will be chaotic because it will damage the high-integrity corruption eradication system that the KPK has built since its inception. Transparency to the public only existed when the families of detainees conveyed it to the public regarding Gus Yaqut not being in detention,” Yudi added.
MAKI Accuses KPK of Discrimination
The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) strongly criticized the KPK’s decision to transfer Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s detention to house arrest. The KPK is accused of not being open about the change in Yaqut’s detention status.
“The problem now is that the transfer of Gus Yaqut’s house arrest is very disappointing to all of us. First, there was no announcement,” said MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman to reporters on Sunday, March 22nd.
Information about Yaqut’s whereabouts not being at the KPK detention center was initially revealed by Silvia Rinita Harefa, the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), after visiting Noel during the Lebaran holiday on Saturday, March 21st.
Silvia currently received information from her husband that Yaqut had not been seen in the detention center since Thursday, March 19th. The KPK then spoke out and explained that Yaqut had become a house arrest.
“If it hadn’t been leaked by Noel’s wife, it wouldn’t have been known. Meanwhile, the KPK, under the KPK Law, has a principle of openness,” Boyamin explained.
Boyamin urged the KPK to be transparent in explaining the reasons for changing Yaqut’s detention status. He believes there is an impression that the KPK is covering up the change in status, but ultimately failed because it was leaked by a fellow detainee’s family.
“So it’s a matter of simply announcing the treatment in detention publicly in the form of being displayed in front with an orange vest and being handcuffed, but when transferred, it should be announced. It’s even more painful when it’s not announced and found out by others, then they quickly confirm it,” Boyamin explained.
“So there’s an impression of being covered up and covering up, which makes the public disappointed,” he added.
Boyamin also highlighted the timing of the change in Yaqut’s detention status to house arrest ahead of Lebaran. He said this could also fuel public speculation about granting house arrest to Yaqut so that the former Religious Affairs Minister could celebrate Lebaran outside of detention.
“The KPK has never carried out a suspension of detention, a transfer of detention unless it is sick. This suddenly isn’t sick and is suspended, especially ahead of Lebaran. So this is discriminatory, others are detained while Gus Yaqut is transferred to house arrest as if to celebrate Lebaran,” Boyamin said.
He added that this treatment by the KPK is different from the treatment of requests from the family of former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe. Boyamin said that at that time, Enembe’s family asked the KPK not to detain Enembe in detention for health reasons, but it was rejected by the KPK.
“What makes it amusing is the KPK’s reason because there was a request from the family and Lukas Enembe was sick, but it wasn’t granted even until he died in detention. Even when he was sick, it wasn’t granted,” Boyamin said.
ICW Urges Dewas to Investigate KPK Leadership
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) urges the KPK to be transparent regarding the change in status of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) to house arrest. ICW believes that this status creates the impression of special treatment given by the KPK to Yaqut.
“The KPK must provide a transparent explanation regarding the reasons why YCQ was moved from the KPK detention center to house arrest. This is a form of privilege given by the KPK to a corruption suspect,” said ICW researcher Wana Alamsyah to reporters on Sunday, March 22nd.
ICW says that the KPK has had strict standards in suspending the detention of corruption suspects. However, in Yaqut’s case, no detailed explanation was given by the KPK.
“Based on ICW’s records, transfers of detention carried out by the KPK are quite strict, one of which is for health reasons,” he said.
ICW also warns the KPK about the impacts that could occur when Yaqut is placed under house arrest. ICW is concerned that Yaqut could destroy evidence or influence witnesses in the hajj quota corruption case, the investigation of which is still ongoing.
“This will be a lousy precedent for corruption eradication in Indonesia. Because, the suspect has the potential to destroy and eliminate evidence, or influence witnesses when under house arrest,” Wana said.
Wana urged the KPK Supervisory Board (Dewas) to intervene and investigate the KPK leadership. ICW believes that the change in Yaqut’s status to house arrest was not without the approval of the KPK leadership.
“The KPK Dewas must investigate the KPK leadership regarding this case. Because, it is suspected that the KPK leadership knew and gave approval to move YCQ from detention to house arrest,” he said.
Yaqut’s House Arrest Not Due to Illness
The detention of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas is now changed to house arrest. The KPK explained that the transfer of Yaqut’s detention status was not due to health conditions.
“Not because of health conditions,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters on Sunday, March 22nd.
Budi said that house arrest for Yaqut was carried out after the KPK received a request from the family. The KPK then approved the request, without providing further details regarding the reasons why Yaqut’s family submitted the request.
“So it was because there was a request from the family, then we processed it,” Budi explained.
The KPK also explained the different treatment received by Yaqut compared to other KPK detainees, such as former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, whose detention was once postponed for health reasons. Budi only stated that each investigation has a different case handling strategy.
“Why is it different from LE? Each process of investigation certainly has different conditions and case handling strategies, including in the detention of someone as a suspect,” Budi explained.
See also Video: KPK Reveals the Role of Maktour Boss Fuad in the Hajj Quota Case Entangling Yaqut
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(ygs/dek)