By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has instructed that Sarah Wairimu Kohen be formally charged with the murder of her husband, in violation of Section 203 as read in conjunction with Section 204 of the Penal Code.
This decision follows the presentation of compelling evidence indicating that Ms. Wairimu took the life of her husband, Tob Chichou Cohen, during the night of July 19th and 20th, 2019, in the Lower Kabete Area of Nairobi County.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Ms. Wairimu’s impending arraignment following her arrest on 23rd January 2025 comes after the DPP received new material in relation to Mr. Cohen’s death from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Consequently, the DPP made an application for the termination of an inquest into the murder, which was granted.
“Upon independent and thorough review of the new material, the DPP is satisfied that Ms. Wairimu was involved in the death of Tob Cohen,” ODPP said.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions emphasized that it remains committed to executing its mandate as per the rule of law, with due regard to public interest, administration of justice, and prevention of abuse of legal process.
Tob Cohen, a businessman from the Netherlands, was killed in Nairobi in a case that garnered considerable public and media interest. He went missing in July 2019, and his remains were found several weeks later in a septic tank at his residence in Kitisuru, Nairobi, in September 2019.
The murder was shocking due to its brutality and the prominence of those involved.
His spouse, Sarah Wairimu, faced charges of murder in connection with his death, alongside other purported accomplices. This case brought to light various issues such as domestic conflicts, inheritance of property, and the functioning of the justice system in Kenya.
The late Tob Cohen was the former CEO of Phillips Electronics East Africa and was well-known in Nairobi’s expatriate community and had lived in Kenya for decades.