Second car dealer Joseph Kairo Wambui, also known as Khalif Kairo spent his Tuesday night in custody after his arrest over claims of obtaining with false pretenses.
Kairo is Wednesday expected in court where police said they will make a miscellaneous application for his detention pending probe into the claims of obtaining with false pretenses.
This was after the police received up to four complaints relating to his business.
Police handling the cases said their moves will help him be safe and also satisfy the complainants.
“The complaints are many and for justice to be seen to be done we are moving to court to seek to hold him as we investigate the matters,” said an officer aware of the issue.
He spent his night at the Upper Hill police cells ahead of the planned production in court.
Kairo was Tuesday December 3 arrested over an undelivered Sh26 million Range Rover.
He later posted a message on his X account saying he will overcome the challenges.
“Hizi challenges mnaona nikipitia are very normal in business esp when a company is growing. Every big entrepreneur at one point must face litigation or money problems especially when God is taking you to higher levels. To the ones reaching out, i am 100% okay and i will overcome.”
A businessman identified as only Murimi had complained to police Kairo obtained the money and promised to deliver the state-of-the-art car but failed.
Detectives from Kasarani police station arrested from a car yard in Riidgways for grilling and possible arraignment.
He has another yard on Kiambu Road and Westlands Park.
Kairo was detained as police grilled him ahead of planned arraignment.
His lawyer rushed to the station and started to negotiate how to solve the issue.
Police said the lawyer pleaded with them to allow him negotiate with the complainant and agree the way forward.
He said he had paid the money to the supplier of the car but a pending debt of Sh6 million had derailed its release.
“The supplier says Kairo has his balance of Sh6 million and therefore he cannot release this needed one. So they are negotiating and agree but we will take action if and when needed as he is under arrest for now for obtaining with false pretenses,” said a police officer aware of the issue.
Kairo has similar complaints at the Nairobi Area regional police and Gigiri police station.
He has said he will address the complaints accordingly.
“We understand he operates more like a pyramid scheme which is challenging him.”
We could not get a comment from Kairo over the new developments.
Who is Khalif Kairo?
Kairo is a familiar name in Kenya for his successful car dealership venture, Kai and Karo.
However, the young entrepreneur has recently drawn attention for his ambitious foray into the aviation sector and social media.
In August 2023, Kairo unveiled Jetman Global, a company specializing in aircraft leasing, sales and consultancy services, marking a significant milestone in his entrepreneurial journey.
The transition from the automotive industry to aviation was not impulsive, he says, but rather anchored in a lifelong passion that dates back to his childhood.
During his formative years, Kairo’s fascination about aviation was kindled during school trips to Wilson Airport, where the allure of planes captured his imagination.
Also inspired by a Tanzanian musician, Kairo recalls the impact of a music video featuring a romantic plane trip as a pivotal moment in fuelling his aviation dreams.
Kairo spent hours at the community library in Kawangware studying encyclopaedias on planes, nurturing a determination to become either a pilot or a lawyer.
Beyond personal ambitions, Kairo envisions instilling and fostering an aviation culture in Kenya, aiming to make aircraft ownership and leasing more accessible for group travels and family vacations.
“I can relate with other out there who we share the same interests in aviation. I believe that there exists an unexplored aviation enthusiast community in Kenya, which I am driven by a divine calling to cultivate,” he said in a past interview. .
Acknowledging the complexities of introducing planes to the Kenyan market, Kairo remains steadfast in his belief that success in this endeavour could pave the way for a burgeoning industry that could benefit various sectors, such as mechanics and spare parts dealers.
Transitioning from the automotive to aviation sector presented challenges for Kairo, who emphasizes the importance for entrepreneurs to have a basic understanding of their chosen industry. His pursuit of knowledge led him to acquire a private pilot licence from Flightstar in 2022, with plans to obtain a commercial pilot licence.
Kairo envisions expanding his business empire to cover Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, with ambitious plans for establishing an airline and democratizing aircraft charters for the wider populace, tapping into substantial market opportunities.
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