The trial of Sarah Wairimu, who is charged with the murder of Dutch businessman Tob Cohen, heard fresh testimony on Tuesday, with a former employee alleging that she instructed workers at Cohen’s Kitisuru home to give investigators a false account of his disappearance.
Testifying before the High Court in Kibera, the witness, a former office manager at Cohen’s residence, said Wairimu convened a meeting with household staff shortly after Cohen went missing in July 2019 and allegedly coached them on what to tell police.
According to the witness, employees were instructed to tell investigators that Cohen had left the residence carrying a red suitcase, boarded a white taxi at the main gate, and travelled to Thailand.
“Sarah Wairimu called us to a meeting in the kitchen and instructed us to tell the police that Tob had left with a red suitcase and was picked up by a white taxi. She told us that everyone should stick to the same story,” the witness told the court.
The former employee admitted that he initially went along with the instructions but later chose to tell detectives what he said was the truth.
“I knew the story was not true. When I recorded my statement with the DCI, I decided not to repeat it because I did not want to lie to the police,” he testified.
The witness also recounted an incident that he said occurred several months before Cohen’s disappearance. He told the court that he arrived at work one Monday morning and found the businessman with a bleeding injury on his forehead.
“I found Tob injured and bleeding from the forehead. He told me that Sarah had attacked him and that she wanted to kill him,” the witness stated.
Cohen, a Dutch national who had lived in Kenya for many years, disappeared on July 19, 2019. His disappearance triggered a high-profile investigation that ended nearly two months later with the discovery of his body in an underground water tank at his Kitisuru home.
Wairimu was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. She has consistently denied involvement in her husband's death and maintains her innocence.
The prosecution argues that Cohen was unlawfully killed and that efforts were made to conceal both the crime and information about his whereabouts. The defence is expected to challenge the witness's testimony as the trial continues.
The case, which has drawn significant public attention since 2019, is scheduled to resume on June 13, 2026, before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court.
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