Agencies probe Pakistani trader over criminal acts
A wealthy Pakistani businessman is under investigations following reports that he is involved in money laundering and drug trafficking.
Authorities say the billionaire has gone underground after learning that his immigration status in the country has also been spotlighted.
Hussain Jarrar, 48 who arrived in the country in 2006 and was later employed as a sales motor vehicle agent is now suddenly a billionaire.
The Pakistani is also being investigated for forgery after it emerged he had obtained a Kenyan identity card fraudulently.
“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.
Officials say despite being a foreigner, Jarrar declared that he is Kenyan in one of the companies, Silver Dash Limited, which 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.
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.
Preliminary investigations have also revealed that the foreigner is linked a high-ranking politician who has been helping him to renew his documents in vain.
The officials say Jarrar, who comes from Pakistan near the Iran border, could be part of an international money laundering ring.
He is currently building a Sh1.2 billion mall, Al-Shujah Mall, next to Yaya Centre and has also bought two prime land in the same area.
Among the agencies pursuing him include the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Immigration Department and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
“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.
In one of the letters dated May 2022, one of the government institutions says 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.
Later in June 2016, he made an application as a permanent resident through lawful status which was pending for five years, according to the correspondence.
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.