Kenyan Wife in Court for Orchestrating Murder of Dutch Tycoon Husband

The Mombasa High Court is currently presiding over the murder trial of Riziki Cherono Ali who is accused of orchestrating the killing of her Dutch husband Herman Rouwenhorst on June 4, 2021.

Joining Cherono on the list of defendants are Mary Nekesa, Timothy Omondi Ngowe and two unidentified individuals. The prosecution, led by State Counsel Bernard Ngiri, highlighted the alleged plot. Nekesa, a former manager at Rouwenhorst's residence and a close friend of Cherono is now cooperating with the state as part of a plea bargain. She has admitted to her role in facilitating the crime, including providing Omondi with access to the apartment complex and maintaining communication with Cherono and the perpetrators throughout the night.

Nekesa's testimony reveals that Cherono, allegedly unhappy in her marriage, confided in her about wanting Rouwenhorst eliminated. Nekesa then introduced Cherono to Omondi, who is accused of carrying out the murder. The prosecution alleges that Cherono not only facilitated communication between the two but also took steps to impair the guard dogs with poisonous meat and granted Omondi entry into the apartment complex on the night of the murder.

According to Nekesa's account, Omondi, accompanied by two accomplices, gained access to Rouwenhorst's room and committed the murder. Call data analysis reportedly corroborates Nekesa's presence at the scene, indicating continuous communication with Cherono and Omondi during the critical timeframe. Investigators also found evidence that Nekesa possessed a key used to grant entry to the perpetrators.

The defence, led by attorney Jared Magolo, objected to the repeated mention of Cherono and Omondi's names during Nekesa's testimony, arguing that they are not part of her plea agreement. However, the state counsel countered that withholding their names would hinder a fair trial, as the defence would have the opportunity to cross-examine Nekesa about her interactions with them. Judge Anne Ong'injo ultimately sided with the prosecution, allowing the unaltered details to be presented in court.