After 'Zambian Plane' Scandal: This Is How Egypt’s el-Sisi Protects the Leader of a Local Militia

In a recent revelation, new documents obtained by Sky News have shed light on the mysterious private plane that was apprehended by Zambian authorities several months ago.

This aircraft, which had been carrying an astonishing sum of over $5 million in cash, along with counterfeit gold, firearms, and ammunition, is now confirmed to be owned by none other than Egyptian businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani, a former convict and a close friend of Egyptian President Abdelfattah el-Sisi.

The investigative efforts were a collaborative endeavor between Sky News and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

According to these documents, Al-Arjani formally declared himself as the plane’s rightful owner in a written statement submitted to the High Court of Zambia back in December 2023.

Zambian Cease

The saga began last August when Zambian authorities conducted a raid on a private jet that had landed at the country’s largest airport, having flown over 3,000 miles from Cairo.

Acting on a tip-off, the Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission made a startling discovery: a staggering $5 million in cash, five pistols, and a hefty 127 kilograms of what initially appeared to be gold.

However, further investigation revealed a twist. The Zambian authorities subjected the coins to testing and found that they were predominantly composed of copper and zinc.

Nason Banda, the director of the Zambian Drug Enforcement Agency, minced no words during a subsequent news conference, labeling the entire episode as a “clear case of fraud” – an elaborate gold scam that had unfolded right under their noses.

In a recent development, Al-Arjani’s certificate has come to light. The certificate, submitted as part of his effort to reclaim ownership of the plane, designates him as the “sole director” of Sinai International Mountain Ltd., a global airline company registered with the aviation authority in San Marino—a small landlocked country on the Italian peninsula.

Further evidence from San Marino flight registration documents corroborates that the company indeed owns the Global Express plane, which was recently seized by Zambian authorities, as reported by Sky News.

Al-Arjani explicitly denies any connection between himself, the plane’s operator (Ibis Air), and the Egyptians who chartered the flight from Cairo to Lusaka. The situation remains complex, with legal implications yet to unfold.

Who is Al-Arjani?

In the intricate web of Egyptian business circles, one name stands out: Al-Arjani. As the Chairman of Al Arjani Group—a sprawling conglomerate spanning construction, real estate, travel, and security—this figure wields considerable influence.

In January 2023, Al-Arjani assumed a role that transcends mere business dealings. Becoming the official sponsor of Egypt’s Al-Ahly football club—the continent’s most successful team—Al-Arjani cemented his position at the intersection of sports, commerce, and prestige.

Yet, his reach extends beyond the football pitch. As one of the select Egyptian businessmen licensed to export goods from Egypt to Gaza, Al-Arjani navigates delicate geopolitical waters.

The Hala Company, under Al-Arjani’s ownership, plays a curious role. It collects funds from Palestinians seeking to leave the Gaza Strip, forcing as much as 5000$ per person who flees from the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

In a previous report by Al-Estiklal, Al-Arjani, who exploited human miseries and city destruction as spoils, was much known as a crisis merchant and warlord.

Hala Company has earned nearly $88 million over the course of weeks, from desperate Palestinians wishing to leave Gaza.

According to the newspaper, the way out for Gazans is part of a list that brings individuals to the Rafah border crossing, where they can then leave Gaza for Egypt. However, they do not travel as refugees but as clients paying the price to flee the war.

Al-Arjani is dubbed King of the Crossing, due to his unique influence on the peninsula and the sole entry and exit point to Gaza.

However, Al-Arjani’s mystique deepened recently. The identities of the ten passengers of the Zambia plane, including six Egyptians, a Zambian citizen, and nationals from the Netherlands, Spain, and Latvia, fueled speculation.

Among the Egyptians, five names surfaced on social media platforms. Mohamed Abdel Haq Mohamed Gouda, Walid Refaat Fahmy Boutros Abdel Sayed, Yasser Mokhtar Abdel Ghafour El-Shishtawy, Mounir Shaker Girgis Awad, and Michael Adel Michael Boutros—all connected to security circles—became subjects of intense scrutiny.

Mada Masr, an Egyptian news website, citing a fact-checking platform, revealed intriguing details: Mohamed Gouda’s past as an assistant military attaché at the Egyptian embassy in Washington and Michael Boutros’ British consulting firm serving the armed forces.

Yet, the sixth passenger remains shrouded in mystery. Activists and commentators alike fixated on the name “Al-Arjani.”

Was it the businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani himself or perhaps his son Essam? Flight tracking data linked the plane to Al-Arjani’s son, with Instagram photos adding intrigue.

As questions reverberate across Egyptian platforms, the plane’s history—touching down in the Emirates, Libya, and accompanying official delegations—adds complexity.

The official Egyptian news agency insists the plane is not Egyptian, emphasizing safety regulations and coordination with Zambian authorities.

In this high-stakes drama, Al-Arjani remains an influential player whose actions ripple far beyond corporate boardrooms and soccer fields.

Gaza Pass Control

Anas Rashad, an Egyptian political researcher, says that the early weeks of the Israeli aggression on Gaza witnessed a tense standoff between the Israeli occupation and Egypt over aid and evacuations in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Occupation denied entry to any humanitarian assistance, while Egypt, in a calculated move, withheld permission for the evacuation of foreign nationals and dual citizens from the besieged territory.

In his interview with Al-Estiklal, Rashad said, “This strategic pressure tactic aimed to draw attention from world governments, who grappled with the urgency of this humanitarian crisis.”

However, the dynamics shifted in early November when Cairo finally initiated the evacuation process for foreign nationals and dual citizens from within Gaza.

“The mechanism involved meticulous coordination: governments submitted lists of their citizens in Gaza to the Egyptian authorities, who, in turn, compiled foreign passports, mediated through Al-Arjani’s Hala company,” Rashad said.

This list was transmitted daily to both the Egyptian and Palestinian sides of the Rafah crossing, following Israeli approval.

Citizens were then informed of their travel arrangements and awaited embassy representatives on the Egyptian side, who escorted them via buses directly to Cairo airport.

“Meanwhile, the cost of facilitating Palestinian exits escalated over time, coordination fees began at $5,000 in early November but surged to $11,000 by the end of January,” Rashad added.

“Amid this chaos, Hala, a company owned by Al-Arjani, stepped in to restore order. Initially focused on Egyptian passport holders and refugees, Hala expanded its role to include Palestinians,” he noted.

According to Rashad, recent weeks have seen heightened scrutiny at the crossing, with security personnel questioning travelers about their coordination arrangements.

Hala clarified that no intermediaries or agents are to be involved, and payment in dollars at the company’s headquarters is mandatory.

Notably, the involvement of Gaza-based agents, such as the “Al-Mashtahi” and “Hamad Star” companies, has been discontinued.

Sisi's relationship with al-Arjani is neither hidden nor managed through intermediaries. Egyptian President el-Sisi made sure to meet him as part of a group of Sinai tribesmen on May 13, 2015, and appeared in a photo released by the media discussing Sinai's files with him.

He met him again on July 15, 2021, during his meeting with businessmen, where he appointed him as an ambassador for the 'Decent Life' initiative, in the presence of the head of the General Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel.