- Rouwenhourst owned multiple properties and nightclubs in Mombasa and Kilifi.
- Pushed by marriage woes and an impending divorce, Cherono is alleged to have eliminated her husband, to inherit his fortunes.
Image: THE STAR
After nearly a month's search, detectives have tracked down key suspects in the murder of Dutch businessman Herman Rouwenhorst, 55, and his security guard Evans Bokoro, 23.
On Sunday, the DCI announced the arrest of Timothy Omondi, alias Rashid, and Mary Nekesa and described what was a well planned execution of Rouwenhorst.
Sources say the work colleagues-turned-crime partners were arrested on Friday and are being held at Bamburi police station.
The arrests were made following confessions by the deceased's widow Riziki Cherono.
She was arrested for questioning days after the killing of her husband last month.
Reports suggest Cherono masterminded the murder, using her two workers from a club business she owned.
“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 mission to familiarise himself with the home. To complete the finer details into the murder plot, Rashid took photos of the bedroom where the deceased was later found dead,” DCI, in series of tweets, said.
According to the DCI, it is Rashid and other accomplices who killed Rouwenhort, following a promise of a good reward from Cherono.
Investigations have further revealed that on the night of the murder, Cherono opened the door to their apartment, letting in Rashid and other suspects still at large, to stage the murder, the statement read.
They took off with Sh3 million which was in the safe inside the house which Rashid would use to acquire a 40x80ft plot at Kiembeni where he constructed a four-roomed house at an estimated cost of Sh1.5 million.
He furnished it with newly acquired household items, worth more than Sh500,000.
Detectives also 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, according to the statement.
Forensic analysis has placed Rashid at the centre of the crime as the prime suspect, DCI said.
The arrest of the two was also made possible by the couple’s children aged 14 and 12 who testified against their mother during the third week into the probe.
While the mother faked a kidnapping ordeal and murder of her husband by gangsters, the children told detectives that they saw the mother open doors to three strangers that night.
Rouwenhourst owned multiple of properties and nightclubs in Mombasa and Kilifi.
Pushed by marriage woes and an impending divorce, Cherono is alleged to have eliminated her husband, to inherit his fortune.
Other reports indicate Cherono had planned to marry Rashid after their mission.
She was arraigned in court last week and the court recommended she undergoes medical tests.
Her case will be heard on August 8 while the two accomplices are expected to be arraigned on Monday.
-Edited by SKanyara