Two suspects arrested over murder of Dutch tycoonin Mombasa; wife alleged to be mastermind

Two suspects arrested over murder of Dutch tycoonin Mombasa; wife alleged to be mastermind

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Mombasa-based Dutch tycoon Herman Rouwenhourst and his guard.

Timothy Omondi Ngoe alias Rashid, 22, and Mary Nekesa Ambani, 33, were nabbed by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Rouwenhourst, 55, and his employee Evans Bokoro, 23, were found murdered at the former’s Rocco apartments in Shanzu, on June 4, 2021.

The body of Rouwenhourst was reportedly found on his matrimonial bed with multiple injuries on the head; he also had his hands and legs tied and his mouth gagged, his guard having suffered an almost similar fate.

Preliminary investigations have now showed that the businessman, said to have owned multiple properties and nightclubs in Mombasa and Kilifi counties, previously informed his wife Riziki Cherono of his intentions to divorce her due to endless marital squabbles.

According to the DCI, however, Cherono did not receive the news all too well hence hatched a plot to eliminate the Dutchman, with whom they had two children aged 14 and 12.

“On May 10, 2021, she (Cherono) constituted a meeting between the two suspects Rashid and Nekesa, a former manager in one of Rouwenhourst’s hotels. In a chilling confession to detectives on how they planned and executed the murder, Nekesa disclosed that Cherono had earlier taken Rashid to their home on a recce mission to familiarize himself with the home,” said the DCI.

“To complete the finer details into the murder plot, Rashid took photos of the bedroom where the deceased was later found dead. He was promised a handsome pay upon completion of the task, from money that the deceased kept in a safe in the couple’s bedroom.”

The investigative unit claimed that Cherono, on the day of the murder, allowed the suspected killers into the house to commit the crime, after which they allegedly broke into his safe and took off with over Ksh.3 million.

The estranged wife was reportedly later on found in the couple’s Toyota Probox around Serena hotel, in what detectives believe to have been a staged kidnapping.

Rashid is said to have acquired a plot at Kiembeni two weeks after the murder, constructed a four-roomed house at a cost of over Ksh.1.5 million and furnished it with newly acquired household items worth over Ksh.500,000; all said to have been proceeds of the crime.

“Further, detectives recovered one live round of 9mm calibre, one bullet head of 9mm calibre, blood stained shoes, a pair of handcuffs, several mobile phones and SIM cards,” stated the DCI.

“Forensic analysis conducted in our forensic lab placed Rashid at the scene of the murder in Shanzu and at around Serena, where Cherono and the vehicle were found.”

The suspects will be arraigned in court on Monday  to answer to murder charges.

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murder DCI Herman Rouwenhourst

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