In leaked WhatsApp messages, the man accused by his wife of plotting to kill her acknowledged he hired the men who picked her at the airport but claims they duped her on the murder plot to extort her.
Nelson Ndereba, who has been accused by Lucy Njeri of hiring hit men to kill her, admits he paid his long-term friend identified as Swaleh Sh50,000 for a three-day car hiring service and disputes the alleged Sh1.5 million cash the alleged killers claimed to have been paid to eliminate her.
He further admits to the contents of a WhatsApp conference call that purportedly has him instructing Swaleh on the killing and dumping of the body but insists the conversation was edited by Swaleh and is not a true account of their full conversation, including a third person.
“I can create that robot and it will respond as a human. We are in 5G technology and artificial intelligence. Anyone’s voice can be manipulated,” he says. “A criminal can’t use another crime to evade the law. He played against me and my family. He robbed my wife, that’s a fact. He tricked my wife, that’s a fact. He raped my wife, that’s a fact. No matter how sweet he pretends to be. He has no escape. We are on his heels.”
Ndereba claims Swaleh used him as bait to get money from his wife and escape from the police who he alleges are looking for him.
“It’s pitiful how he quickly lured you against your husband,” he says.
In a twist, Ndereba claims his life is also in danger and that Swaleh is now in Canada and wants to eliminate him, further alleging that he has snatched his wife.
“He might kill me before I get the facts out lakini (but) I am not working alone,” he says.
The leaked conversations between the estranged couple running from December 12 to January 8 also sensationally reveal the poisoning of nine members of Ndereba’s family and 11 from Njeri’s family as the nasty fallout between the two snowballs into a bitter family and property feud.
Ndereba, who every now and then confesses that he still loves Njeri, avoids responding to claims that he hired the gang to kill his wife and dump her body in Karura forest despite repeated prodding by Njeri who consistently swears that God’s intervention saved her life.
“It’s not my wish to part ways with you. You were played by the thugs who pretended to be friends. Please consider how deep you dig my grave. You might be putting yourself at risk,” Ndereba texted Njeri on the night of December 23 at 9.54pm.
Njeri responds a minute later: “Ngome ino iguito Ndereva , I am giving into freely ili ikifukie , I am telling as many people as possible ili wakwambie, Mutie nilimwambia knowing he’s going to tell you, hakuna siri Ndereba (You Satan called Ndereba, I am freely informing many people about this so that the information can get to you, I told Mutie knowing he is going to tell you. There is no secret Ndereba).”
She adds: “Ulisema mwili yangu itupwe Jarura forest nikisikia kwa simu mkiwa na Muchangi. Ulisema utumiwe picha ya mwili yangu nikiwa nimeuliwa Fara wewe . you DIG A DEEP GRAVE FOR ME. BUT WHO IS JEHOVAH (I heard you and Muchangi instructing that my body be dumped at Karura forest. You asked them to send you a picture of the body, stupid. You dug a grave for me but who is Jehova).
At some point, Ndereba admits his only fault was that he did not know Swaleh was a wanted criminal and insists that despite the alleged affair with his wife, Swaleh must face justice for kidnapping and robbing her.
“What you don’t understand is that the same guy is on wanted list by the Kenyan government for violence and gun related theft. I didn’t know when I contacted him. My apologies. However, we made a mistake to rent his car while he was looking for a way to get to Canada. Hana bahati (he’s not lucky) because I can’t accept how he tricked me on entering a path to Canada by playing between me and my wife,” Ndereva tells Njeri in a midnight chat on December 24, last year.
He repeats the same message on December 27, when he tells her that she only helped bring Swaleh closer to his capture by the authorities.
Later on December 30, he tells her: “He strangled you and pretended he was paid. He took all your money…unless ulinidanganya (you lied) which makes me suspicious that you both planned something. You told me that you both went to the can and withdrew all the money to give to him…yet he is your witness.”
“You lied to me three different stories in two days while he never answered my calls. He lied I paid him 1.5 while I only paid him 50k for car rental. His interest was to manipulate you and use you to make more money from you and later umlete ngambo (bring him abroad) as he asked me nikakataa (and I refused).”
In the conversation, Ndereba also confirms that he knew Swaleh from his childhood but Njeri, asked if she knew him, says she only met him when she boarded the taxi at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon landing on November 17, 2022. She also claimed that Swaleh was still in the country contrary to her estranged husband’s claims.
Swaleh’s phone number as provided by Njeri is registered under the name Swaleh Njiru by Safaricom. The registration number of the car he used to pick Njeri at the airport, according to the conversation is KCV 222N. A check by the Nation in the National Transport and Safety Authority’s TIMs portal revealed the number is not listed, meaning the number plate is cloned or had been recalled after an accident.
Deeper in the chats, Ndereba confesses that Swaleh had been asking him to invite him to Canada.
“He has been asking the same favour from my brother and sister, I am sorry he found a weakness between us. You can change things if you are serious with life. Lakini nakujua (I know you), you are as stubborn as I know you,” he writes.
“I have written my will and told my lawyer if I die prematurely, no one is entitled to my property. I will leave everything to my mother who remains faithful to me. It is written and this was after I realised sina bibi (I do not have a wife),” he told her on Christmas eve. Njeri retorts asking him if she was running for the benefit of his mother.
“I was running and struggling in Mexico for your mother, si ndio Ndereba. Tutaona (isn’t that so Ndereva. We’ll see.). Jasho yangu haitakuliwa na mama yako (The fruits of my labour will not be eaten by your mother). Mark my words not even any of your family including your son, Phil.”
At some point, the couple quarrels over property, with Ndereba saying he knew for a long time that the tussle over property would crop up.
“Kumbe you and your family are material factors. Poleni. Follow the law not your angers. ...Rudisheni ruracio yangu kwanza . (So you and your family are materialistic? Sorry. Follow the law, not your anger... Refund the bride price I paid). You always think your bullying style will win, not anymore...” he tells her.
It escalates to insults and at some point, Ndereba accuses Njeri of denying him a child while also breaking news to her that another woman is expecting his child. Njeri in turn accuses him of impregnating other women and making her procure abortions on two occasions.
On Christmas morning, Ndereba sends Njeri a Christmas message: “Merry X-mas my dear” , to which she responds: “I still miss you though. I wasn’t ready for this”, then scolds him for messing her life.
Ndereba then uses that opportunity to ask her to share her Kenyan number, which she does, then asks him what it’s for before they resume trading insults. They accuse each other of unfaithfulness, with Njeri claiming that Ndereba had mistresses in Canada and Kenya as he in turn accuses her of sleeping with Swaleh .
On December 31, Njeri texts Ndereba to ask if he has paid the rent using the money she had left for him, warning that failure to do that would mean losing her items and he would be the one responsible. In reply, he asks her who is responsible for his items at their Embu home then adds: “Please live your life and forget about me forever in your new year.”
As Kenyans and others around the world celebrated the new year, the two confessed to each other how breaking up was taking a toll on them and how they regret making that decision.
“Long live my dear, wari wakwa (you were once mine) but not anymore. If I don’t reply your text, just take it easy. Mungu anakupenda (God loves you). Bye bye,” Ndereba writes.
After about 30 minutes, Njeri responds: “I will never release you because my love towards you was genuine, that’s why it’s hard and it’s easy for you leave the marriage of 20yrs. you don’t feel any pain. Thank you for misusing me. You make my life miserable, hopeless. You think its easy. NO NO!!!”
Ndereba: Njeri it’s not easy to lose a wife. I am in pain. My pain is not visible and no one can feel it for me. Only myself. Mungu atanibariki tu (God will bless me). So what do you want me to do?
Njeri: Nitumie pesa yangu yenye uko naye na title deed yangu ya Embu iko na jina langu its illegal to hide my title deed na pesa ya rent yenye nilikuashia . (Send me my money and title deed for the plot in Embu that bears my name plus the rent I left you). This is my last call for you to handover what you owe me. Title iko na majina yangu sijui umefisha kwa nini (The title deed has my name, I don’t know why you’re hiding it)?
Ndereba: My sweat is drained by your family... Before I hand over anything I need my sh 800,000 in cash. Hakuna jasho ile haifai kuheshimiwa . (All hard work needs to be respected). You have been focused on scooping as much wealth from me as possible...mfanye harambee (do a fundraiser) I need my money.
Njeri: Pesa yote yenye nilinilikutumia nikiwa Mexixo na zenye zime baki ya lorry $3500 + $500 yenye nilikupea yako ya $US 400, so you have $4000 zangu , plus $1400 ya Rent ya January 2023. So you have $.4000+ $1400=$ 5400. Plus, all the money I sent to you nikiwa (when I was in) Mexixo $700, 000. You minus your sh 800,000 then you give me the rest of the money.
She then accuses him of subjecting her to a life on the run as she has been forced to hide for fear of being killed.
