Sarah Wairimu appears in court over the death of her husband, Tob Cohen, on September 28, 2026 / ODPP XThe murder trial of Sarah Wairimu Kamotho over the death of her husband, Tob Cohen, continued at the High Court in Kibera on Monday with three prosecution witnesses taking the stand.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) presented the eighth, ninth and 10th witnesses before Lady Justice Diana Kavedza.
The witnesses were Police Constable Stanley Kanyile, Inspector of Police Joseph Maina and civilian witness Shilindwa Shihemi.
PC Kanyile testified about a distress call received on July 19, 2019, which led him and other officers to Cohen’s residence in Spring Valley.
He told the court that upon arriving at the residence, they encountered three men dressed in civilian clothes and Sarah Wairimu, who reported that she was in distress.
Inspector Maina, a former officer commanding station at Parklands Police Station, testified about a police visit to Cohen’s residence following an assault complaint.
Maina told the court that Cohen informed police officers that his wife had assaulted him and directed them to a room where he said she had locked herself.
The officers received no response and were unable to establish whether Wairimu was inside the room.
The officers subsequently returned to the police station to pursue the procedure of issuing summons. The visit was recorded under OB 37/19/7/19, while their return was recorded under OB 41/19/7/2019.
Shilindwa, a former gardener and housekeeper at the couple’s Lower Kabete residence, also testified about events he witnessed while working at the home between 2018 and 2019.
He recounted an incident in February 2019 involving Cohen and Wairimu, saying Cohen was bleeding and asked him to photograph his injuries.
Shilindwa also testified about his return to the residence on July 22, 2019, and events that followed Cohen’s disappearance.
He told the court that he later learnt that Cohen’s body had been found in a septic tank.
The prosecution is presenting evidence concerning the circumstances surrounding the events before and after Cohen’s disappearance and death.
The case will continue on September 29, 2026, 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.
