Two Arrested Over The Killing Of Dutch Tycoon, His Guard In Mombasa

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jul 26- Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Mombasa-based Dutch tycoon Herman Rouwenhourst and his guard. They are expected in court today.

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

Police said they found the body of Rouwenhourst on his matrimonial bed with multiple injuries on the head, his hands and legs tied and his mouth gagged, his guard having suffered an almost similar fate.

Those arrested were identified as Timothy Omondi Ngoe alias Rashid, 22, and Mary Nekesa Ambani, 33.

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 Sh3 million.