Kenyan security agencies are investigating a wealthy Pakistan national over claims of money laundering and drug trafficking.
Hussain Jarrar, 48 is in hiding after learning he is being spotlighted over his immigration status in the country.
Jarrar who arrived in the country in 2006 and was later employed as a sales motor vehicle agent is now suddenly a billionaire.
This has raised eyebrows of the government agencies, which have since cited him for narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
He is also being investigated for forgery after it emerged he had obtained a Kenyan identity card fraudulently, officials aware of the issue revealed.
He had apparently declared that he is Kenyan in one of the companies- Silver Dash Limited– he runs with his two children.
He had then unsuccessfully applied for renewal of his work permit as a foreigner.
The application for renewal was rejected, officials say.
Jarrar’s work permit expired last year in November and he has since then operating from his hideout in the city using proxies to fix his deals, officials said.
He did not respond to our calls for a comment on the claims.
Security officials say they are aware he has been moving around with money seeking help to renew his documents in vain.
He comes from Pakistan near the Iran border, which is notorious for drug trafficking and money laundering.
He is currently building a Sh1.2 billion mall -Al-Shujah Mall- next to Yaya Centre.
He has also bought two prime land in the same area for development purposes.
He was initially employed as a sales official at Al-Husnain Motors in the city where he earned Sh70,000 up to 2013.
According to investigations, he has suddenly become a billionaire.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Financial Reporting Centre, the Immigration Department, and the National Intelligence Service are among the agencies investigating him.
“He is in hiding for now but we hope to find him soon.
Most of his bank accounts have been flagged,” said one official aware of the probe.
Correspondences seen between the agencies on him show he is involved in questionable deals.
For example, one agency wrote to the other in May 2022 explaining how the man arrived in the country.
Jarrar is currently a director at Al-Shujah Motors Limited which was established in 2012 and started operations of selling second-hand vehicles in January 2013.
“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.
He in June 2016 made an application as a permanent resident through lawful status which was pending for five years, the documents show.
In June 2021 he applied for his citizenship by lawful residence when it was established he had an adverse notice due to his suspicious involvement with Iranians.
“Due to this, his permanent residence process was halted,” the documents say.
A report by one of the security agencies seen says the company Jarrar runs has been associated with drug trafficking.
“The referred Al-Shujah Motors changed its name from Al-Husnain Motors whose directors have been associated with drug trafficking,” read part of the report.
This came out after two of his brothers who doubled as his associates were deported over the same claims of narcotics trafficking.
He then learned of the plans to deport him in 2007 and left the country only for him to resurface five years later and established a new company under a different name.
And following the developments, officials at a local bank confirmed they had frozen his bank accounts with millions of shillings and blacklisted an account run by Al-Husnain Motors.
FRC revealed they had alerted bank managers of a local bank with an account of a Pakistani national Saleem Qamar after it emerged Jarrar has been running it.
The agencies investigating the businessman believe he is getting protection from some politicians at a fee.
