Accused Sarah Cohen consults her lawyer, senior counsel Pravin Bowry, during the hearing of the murder case of the late Dutch businessman Tob Cohen before Justice Diana Kavedza at Kibera Law Courts, Nairobi, on September 29, 2026/LEAH MUKANGAIDeceased Dutch businessman Tob Cohen was described as a heavy drinker whose temper, according to a former employee, escalated significantly when he consumed alcohol, the Kibera High Court heard on Tuesday.
Testifying before Justice Diana Kavedza during the murder trial, Shilindwa Shihemi, a former worker at the Cohen residence, recounted his experiences working in the couple’s household.
The prosecution alleges that Sarah Wairimu Cohen, the businessman’s widow, was involved in the death of her husband, whose body was discovered in a septic tank at his Nairobi residence in September 2019 following his disappearance two months earlier.
The defence, led by Senior Counsel Philip Murgor alongside Senior Counsel Pravin Bowry, representing Sarah, contends that Tob Cohen was an erratic, abusive, and difficult man whose unpredictable nature generated constant friction within the home.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, Shihemi described his late employer as a man who could easily consume an entire bottle of spirits single-handedly.
"Was he a heavy drinker?" counsel asked.
"I’ve never seen anything like it. Taking a whole mzinga of Red Label... One full bottle of Red Label with a lot of ice," Shihemi replied, adding that Cohen was also a chain smoker who left ashtrays in every corner of the compound.
When pressed on whether Cohen consumed substances other than cigarettes, Shihemi said he eventually noticed unusual items on the employer’s ashtrays. Upon being asked directly by Justice Kavedza whether that included bangi (cannabis), Shihemi affirmed that it did.
When counsel questioned whether Cohen was violent towards him, Shihemi said, during his testimony before the court on Tuesday, the employer was also primarily verbal in his aggression, frequently calling him "stupid" and "foolish".
He noted that because Cohen occasionally handed him cash gifts of Sh1,000 or Sh2,000, he did not take the verbal remarks seriously and simply carried out his duties.
Shihemi testified that Cohen’s volatile behaviour was particularly evident during a family wedding, where the businessman initially behaved well but grew aggressive after demanding alcohol.
He told the court that Sarah had attempted to limit her husband's drinking because she understood how he behaved under the influence.
"On the wedding day, he showed his true colours," Shihemi said, telling the court that Cohen became abusive towards guests who had travelled from abroad.
Describing the marital dynamic, Shihemi noted that while the couple appeared technically separated, he refrained from interfering in their personal disputes because no distress call was made from the house.
He explained that there was no dedicated security guard at the property; security duties were shared, with the couple opening the gate when Shihemi was out, and Shihemi opening it when he was inside.
The witness recounted a specific domestic altercation where he heard a commotion and Cohen shouting, "You're killing me". Upon investigating, Shihemi said he saw Cohen crying at the stairs while heavily intoxicated and unable to defend himself, while Sarah stood nearby holding a chair over his head.
Shihemi testified that he intervened by speaking to Sarah, who listened to him, but after helping Cohen out of the scuffle, the businessman allegedly tore Sarah's dress and verbally abused her.
Defence counsel challenged this account, highlighting that in four statements Shihemi recorded with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, he had not mentioned Sarah using a chair.
Shihemi responded that he was unaware of the omission, explaining that as a domestic worker one becomes integrated into a family and accepts certain everyday occurrences without documenting every detail.
The court also heard details about Shihemi's dismissal. He said Cohen had accused him of disobedience after he refused an order to break open a safe.
Shihemi said Cohen arrived with two plainclothes officers who handcuffed him and drove him to Spring Valley Police Station.
Shihemi was booked around 8 pm for allegedly causing a disturbance. However, police released him at 10 pm without charge, with Shihemi saying multiple phone calls had been made regarding his detention.
Shihemi stated that Sarah was away travelling during these incidents and said Cohen made him sign a dismissal letter after threatening to call the police back.
Counsel put it to the witness that Cohen routinely tried to engineer reasons to dismiss him whenever Sarah was absent.
Shihemi agreed with the characterisation, testifying that Sarah served as his defence and that Cohen did not want him around when she was away.
The matter will proceed for further hearing tomorrow at 10 am, where four witnesses are expected to take the stand to testify.
