Tob Cohen Did Not Owe Kiambu Politicians Sh35 Million, Widow Sarah Wairimu Says

Sarah Wairimu, the widow of murdered Dutch national Tob Cohen has denied claims that the tycoon owed two Kiambu politicians Sh35 million.

Wairimu, who is the prime suspect in the murder of her husband, said she was not aware that the deceased owned the two unnamed politicians or any other person.

“I am not aware that my late husband owed such a colossal amount of money to anyone let alone Kiambu politicians and will in due course request that the claim be fully investigated,” Wairimu said in an affidavit filed in court on Thursday.

She further questioned the role of Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti over the property that was allocated to Cohen’s sister Gabrielle Van Straten.

Wairimu noted that Kinoti’s duty is to investigative criminal cases and not ownership of property or matrimonial issues.

“I am further apprehensive that the efforts to further detain me is an attempt to keep me away while those who claim to have rights over the said property take ownership unobstructed.”

“I believe that Mr. George Kinoti is now determined to hand over the keys to my matrimonial home to the purported beneficiaries of my husband’s alleged will without due process of the law,” her affidavit reads.

Wairimu and her lawyer Philip Murgor skipped the opening of Cohen’s Will saying that it had been compromised.

In her affidavit, Wairimu further raised questions over the sudden departure of Cohen’s sister from the country, which came immediately after the reading of the Will. She noted that Gabrielle quickly left the country despite publicly claiming that she wanted to accord her brother a decent Jewish burial.

Ms. Gabrielle returned to the Netherlands a day after Cohen’s Will was opened with her lawyer Cliff Ombeta explaining that she left the country due to personal reasons.

Cohen was buried on Wednesday in presence of Wairimu, who was escorted by five prison warders from Lang’ata Women’s Prison.

Wairimu, who was set to plead to murder charges on Thursday, was remanded until October 1st, 2019 until the issue of her representation is dealt with. 

The defense team told the court that Wairimu’s lawyer, Murgor was still attached to Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) but Murgor insisted that he resigned early this year.