Police question watchman and gardener over murder of elderly Swiss couple in Mombasa

Police officers carry away bodies that were found dumped along a link road in Kiembeni, Mombasa. Photo: Maarufu Mohamed, Standard

Police in Mombasa are holding two suspects in connection with the murder of two Swiss nationals whose naked bodies were dumped in Mombasa North on Sunday.

Police in Mombasa are holding two suspects in connection with the murder of two Swiss nationals whose naked bodies were dumped in Mombasa North on Sunday.

The bodies of the elderly couple, Warner Borner Paul, 71, and Marriane Hunel, 70, were found at Nguu Tatu in Kiembeni, Mombasa County in circumstances that pointed to murder. The two had flown into the country on August 19 from Switzerland.

Monday, Coast Regional police commander Larry Kieng said a gardener and a watchman at the couple's residence in Nyali were arrested and were assisting police with investigations.

"In custody, we have the watchman and the gardener who had been in constant communication with the deceased immediately they arrived in the country. They are cooperating with the police. As soon as we get into the root of the matter we will take them to court," said Kieng.
However, Kieng explained that a prime suspect in the murder was still at large and the police were still looking for him.

"According to our investigations, the suspect was last seen in Nairobi," added Kieng.
According to police the couple had lived in Kenya for more than 10 years. Police suspect that the motive for the murder was possibly to cover up a crime which, they suspect could have been committed in couple’s home along Links Road [in Nyali] while they were away.

Police also think the murderers may have thought that the couple had arrived from Switzerland with a lot of money.