As he was escorted to a detention vehicle, Qoumas insisted he had not profited from the scheme.
“I have never received a single cent from the case I am accused of, and I implemented all these policies solely for the safety of pilgrims,” he told reporters on Thursday.
The KPK first announced its investigation on August 9, 2025, into alleged irregularities in determining quotas and organizing the 2023–2024 Hajj pilgrimage.
Within days, the agency estimated potential state losses exceeding Rp1 trillion (US$57 million) and imposed travel bans on three individuals, including Qoumas.
By January 2026, Qoumas and his aide Ishfah Abidal Aziz were formally named suspects. Qoumas challenged the designation in court, but on March 11, 2026, the South Jakarta District Court rejected his pretrial motion.
The State Audit Board later reported financial losses of Rp622 billion (US$35 million), underscoring the scale of alleged corruption in one of Indonesia’s most sensitive religious programs.
Translator: Rio Feisal, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
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