Tob Cohen Murder Trial: Three Witnesses Testify as ODPP Presents Evidence

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 29 – Three witnesses have testified in the murder trial of Sarah Wairimu Kamotho, as the prosecution continued presenting evidence over the death of her husband, Dutch businessman Tob Cohen.

The witnesses, two police officers and a former employee of the couple, testified at the High Court in Kibera on Monday before Justice Diana Kavedza.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) presented Police Constable Stanley Kanyile, Inspector of Police Joseph Maina and former housekeeper Shilindwa Shihemi as its eighth, ninth and tenth witnesses.

Kanyile told the court that he responded to a distress call on July 19, 2019, which led police officers to Cohen’s residence in Spring Valley, Nairobi.

He testified that upon arriving at the property, officers encountered three men dressed in civilian clothes and Sarah Wairimu, who reported being in distress.

Maina, a former Officer Commanding Station at Parklands Police Station, testified about a separate police visit to the couple’s residence following an assault complaint.

He told the court that Cohen had reported being assaulted by his wife and directed officers to a room where he claimed she had locked herself.

However, the officers received no response when they attempted to establish whether Wairimu was inside the room.

The police team subsequently returned to the station to pursue the procedure for issuing summons.

The visit was recorded under Occurrence Book number 37/19/7/19, while the officers’ return to the station was recorded under OB 41/19/7/2019.

Shihemi, who previously worked as a gardener and housekeeper at the couple’s Lower Kabete residence, recounted incidents he witnessed while working for them between 2018 and 2019.

He testified about a February 2019 incident involving the couple, during which he said Cohen was bleeding and asked him to photograph his injuries.

The former employee also recounted events following his return to the residence on July 22, 2019, including the circumstances surrounding Cohen’s disappearance.

He told the court that he later learnt that Cohen’s body had been discovered in a septic tank.

The three testimonies form part of the prosecution’s effort to establish the circumstances surrounding events before and after Cohen’s disappearance and death.

The case is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, September 29, when the prosecution is expected to call additional witnesses.

The prosecution team is led by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Sarah Ogweno, alongside Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Mary Anne Mwangi and Principal Prosecution Counsels Christine Timoi and Peris Maina.

Wairimu is charged with the murder of her husband. The allegations remain subject to determination by the court.