What they did often: Malindi hotel manager recounts how murdered tourist interacted with Kenyan lover

By Charo Banda

Murdered German tourist, Detering Herman, was a fun-loving and light-hearted man, who spent most of his times drinking beer and chewing miraa on the poolside at Moriema Cottages in Malindi, the hotel’s manager, Kelly Kazungu, has told K24 Digital.

Herman was on Tuesday, January 28, found dead in his hotel room — number 177 — with deep cuts inflicted in his head, neck and back.

The 78-year-old tourist booked the hotel room on December 4, 2019, and said he would occupy the facility for the next two months, Kazungu told K24 Digital.

And, on the day when he checked into Moriema Cottages, a youthful woman of Kamba descent, joined him. The woman, who is the prime suspect in Herman’s murder, has been identified only as Mary.

Inseparable

“From the first day Herman arrived at our hotel, he and Mary have been inseparable. They often took alcohol and chewed miraa together. They mostly spent their time at the cottage,” said Kazungu, adding: “Never had I seen them engage in a spat publicly.”

The manager’s revelations were echoed by Alphonce Kazungu, who is a swimming pool attendant at Moriema Cottages.

“They hardly quarreled,” said Alphonce.

“I am shocked to learn that Mary is the chief suspect in Herman’s murder,” he added.

According to the swimming pool attendant, Mary and Herman left the swimming pool side at 1am Tuesday after spending a better part of the night taking alcohol and chewing khat.

“It remains unclear why she killed him. However, I have had conversations with many women who provide company and sexual services to foreign male tourists. Most of these ladies often complain that after spending several months with male tourists in their hotel rooms, they are often dumped and left with no single penny. Many of these women are angry and any slight provocation could lead them to do the unimaginable,” said Alphonce.

The hotel’s manager, Kelly Kazungu, said one of their cleaners had gone to Herman’s room and knocked at 10am Tuesday, but he did not receive any response. The door was also locked.

The cleaner, thereafter, went and informed Kazungu, who walked to Herman’s room and peeped through the window. Kazungu said he saw blood stains on Herman’s bed.

“Immediately, I rushed to Malindi Police Station, where I informed the authorities of what I had seen. The officers accompanied me to the scene, where I used a spare key to open the door. We were shocked to find Herman’s body lying in a pool of blood on the floor,” said Kazungu.

Murder most foul

Herman had deep cuts in the head, neck and back said to be inflicted with a kitchen knife.

“This is murder most foul,” a DCI detective handling the matter told K24 Digital.

“It appears Herman was too drunk, or was drugged before being butchered by his aggressor,” added the sleuth, who spoke to us in confidence.

The hotel manager says Mary was nowhere to be seen, and, according to him, Mary locked the door and disappeared with Herman’s key after committing the crime.

Detectives cordoned off the crime scene at 11:30am Wednesday, a spot-check by K24 Digital showed.

“On top of dusting the scene for finger prints, the detectives are also looking for the weapon believed to have been used in killing Herman,” said Kazungu.

Authorities suspect Mary stabbed Herman after getting into a fight with him.

Moriema Cottages security guard, who was on duty on Monday night through Tuesday morning, said he never heard any commotions emanating from Herman’s room.

“I never saw the suspect, Mary, leaving Herman’s room,” said the security guard.

Herman’s body was on Wednesday morning taken to Malindi Sub-County Hospital morgue, where an autopsy is set to be conducted to ascertain the cause of his death.