This archive report was first published on 25 July 2021.
Kenya: Dutch Businessman's Murder Raises Questions About Wealth and Motive ¶
July 25, 2021
Kenyan detectives are investigating the murder of Dutch businessman Herman Rouwenhorst, who was found dead in his apartment in Shanzu, Mombasa County, on June 4, 2021.
Rouwenhorst, 55, was a successful businessman who owned several nightclubs and properties in Mombasa and Kilifi counties. He had immigrated to Kenya after falling in love with his Kenyan girlfriend Riziki Cherono Ali, who later became his wife.
Cherono, who raised the alarm over Rouwenhorst's murder, is being treated as a prime suspect by detectives. She told investigators that she was driven in her car by unidentified men from their apartment and abandoned near Serena Beach Hotel.
However, detectives believe that Rouwenhorst's death could be connected to his wealth. Another Dutchman, Jacobus Van Der Goes, was killed in a similar way in 2009. Van Der Goes had worked for the Dutch government and had chosen to retire in Kenya, where he owned several properties, including a lucrative apartment in the posh Nyali area of Mombasa.
Van Der Goes was brutally murdered by his gardener, John Ochieng, and his accomplice, Joseph Ogolla. The two were sentenced to death and life imprisonment, respectively. Ochieng was found to have withdrawn Sh300,000 from Van Der Goes' bank account using his ATM card.
The dispute over Van Der Goes' multimillion-shilling property is ongoing, with his Kenyan ex-wife, Agnes Nanjala, and his firstborn daughter, Ingrid Van Der Goes, and her husband, Rene Adrianus, engaged in a fierce tussle over the estate.
Ms. Nanjala has denied the existence of any written will, arguing that a court ruling that allowed their divorce made her and her daughter the legal dependents and beneficiaries of Van Der Goes' properties.
"Despite the lawful entitlement, Ingrid and her husband have failed to consider our interests. She has concealed most of the assets, which include more than 10 bank accounts and posh flats in the Netherlands," Ms. Nanjala argued.
