Shaher Abdulhak

Shaher Abdulhak (b. c. 1938) is a Yemeni businessman. In 1963 Abdulhak founded the company "Shaher Trading", an enterprise involved in petroleum, soft drinks, tourism and property. He is today a billionaire, and considered to be one of the wealthiest men in the country. Abdulhak is known as the "King of Sugar" in Yemen, where he holds great influence also politically. He is a personal friend of president Ali Abdullah Saleh. In spite of his prominent position in Yemeni society, Abdulhak is media-shy; he never grants interviews and no photo of him has ever been printed in the local press.

In March 2008, however, he became the unwilling object of media scrutiny, when his son went missing in connection with a London murder case. Abdulhak's 21-year-old son Farouk was wanted for questioning in the murder of the 23-year-old Norwegian Martine Vik Magnussen, who was found dead in a pile of rubble in the basement of Farouk's house. Shaher Abdulhak – who was allegedly already displeased with his son's jet-set lifestyle in London, and had threatened to cut him off – claimed to have no knowledge of Farouk's whereabouts, but had hired a detective to find him, and would disown him if he was found to have anything to do with the murder. Yemeni officials have also promised to hand over the suspect if found. Yemen, however, has no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom, and extradition is against the country's constitution. A western diplomat stated that "If the father decides his son will not be touched, he will not be touched."