A Pakistani national, Hussain Jarrar, finds himself in a precarious situation as Kenyan government agencies shine a spotlight on his immigration status.
The 48-year-old arrived in Kenya back in 2006 and initially worked as a sales motor vehicle agent.
However, what has raised eyebrows among the authorities is his sudden and unexplained rise to billionaire status, coupled with accusations of involvement in narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
The situation has taken a curious turn as officials uncovered evidence that Jarrar fraudulently obtained a Kenyan identity card.
Notably, he declared himself as Kenyan in one of the companies he operates, named Silver Dash Limited, alongside his two children.
But his attempt to renew his work permit was met with rejection, and he has since been operating from an undisclosed location in the city, using proxies to conduct his business.
Despite numerous attempts to contact him for a statement on the allegations, Jarrar has remained elusive.
Kenyan officials have discovered that he has been desperately seeking help to renew his documents, to no avail.
Moreover, there are suspicions that he could be linked to an international money laundering ring, given his origins in Pakistan near the Iran border, a region notorious for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Adding to the intrigue, Jarrar is currently constructing a lavish Sh1.2 billion mall, named Al-Shujah Mall, adjacent to Yaya Centre.
He has also acquired two prime plots of land in the same area.
This sudden wealth has baffled officials, given that he was earning a modest salary as a sales official at Al-Husnain Motors until 2013, with no apparent explanation for his immense fortune.
“He was employed as a sales official at Al-Husnain Motors in the city where he earned Sh70,000 up to 2013. He can’t explain how he made the billions he is splashing around,” said an official aware of the probe.
Multiple government agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Financial Reporting Centre, the Immigration Department, and the National Intelligence Service, are involved in the investigation.
The correspondences between these agencies paint a grim picture of Jarrar’s dealings.
In a letter from one agency to another, it was revealed that Jarrar became a director at Al-Shujah Motors Limited in 2012.
Prior to that, he was associated with Al-Husnain Motors Limited, where he obtained three previous work permits from February 18, 2006, to February 2, 2013.
After the directors of Al-Husnain Motors split, he established Al-Shujah Motors Limited.
“Previously, Jarrar was a director at Al-Husnain Motors Limited and obtained three of his previous work permits from February 18, 2006 to February 2, 2013. Later the directors of Al-Husnain Motors split and hence the establishment of Al-Shujah Motors Limited by Jarrar,” said part of the letter dated May 19, 2022.
His attempts to secure permanent residency and citizenship by lawful residence were thwarted due to adverse notices related to his suspicious ties with Iranians.
A security agency’s report further linked the company he runs to drug trafficking, raising more red flags.
Interestingly, Jarrar’s brothers, who were also associated with him, faced deportation in the past over similar narcotics trafficking allegations.
He evaded deportation in 2007, only to resurface years later and establish a new company under a different name.
In light of these developments, officials at a local bank have frozen his bank accounts with substantial sums of money and blacklisted an account associated with Al-Husnain Motors.
The Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) has alerted bank managers about an account held by Saleem Qamar, another Pakistani national, after it came to light that Jarrar had been operating it, potentially to avoid scrutiny.
There are suspicions that some politicians may be providing Jarrar with protection in exchange for a fee.
The government agencies investigating him are racing against time to locate the elusive businessman, who is reportedly splashing cash to anyone who comes his way.
The concern is that he might be making questionable local investments with the allegedly ill-gotten funds, possibly for international criminal organizations with malicious intentions.
The situation remains fluid as authorities delve deeper into the case, determined to unravel the mysteries surrounding Hussain Jarrar and his questionable wealth and activities.
