President Uhuru’s kin dragged into Cohen death case

Sarah Wairimu Cohen at the Milimani Law Courts. [File, Standard]

Mobile phone records of three of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s kin may be required as part of evidence aimed at unraveling the murder of Dutch businessman Tob Cohen.

Cohen’s widow Sarah Wairimu has demanded the State provides her with details of all calls and SMS sent by the President’s relatives for a period of three months. Wairimu wants details of Ngengi Muigai, who is Uhuru’s first cousin, his wife Wangui Ngengi and Captain Muigai Kungu, also a cousin of the President.

She hopes to receive records of all calls made and received between July 1 and September 30. She does not, however, disclose the reasons why she wants the call records of 23 individuals.

Out of bond

Wairimu, together with Peter Karanja, the estranged husband to Gilgil MP Martha Wangare, have been charged with the murder of Cohen. They were released on bond.

Wairimu, who is also fighting to nullify her late husband’s Will, has written to Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji complaining that the prosecution had failed to furnish her with evidence that they intend to rely on in their case.

In a letter to Haji dated November 8, Wairimu complained that the prosecution had only supplied her with information that implicates her in the murder.

She now demands to be supplied with three months phone records of among others: Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss George Kinoti, former MP Patrick Muiruri and State prosecutor Catherine Mwaniki.

Wairimu claims the prosecutor was applying the law selectively. She said in her letter that the DPP was bound by law to provide evidence that was not consistent with claims by the police that she was involved in the murder.

“The DPP has so far not provided any mobile phone data as evidence to be called but selectively provided the data that appears convenient to implicate our client, at times withholding the data that may not be convenient to the DCI’s much publicised theory,” reads the letter authored by Wairimu’s lawyer Philip Murgor. It is copied to Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.

It has been deposited in court and was stamped received at the court registry on November 11. Wairimu has also demanded to be supplied with call data of all the people that the prosecution intends to call as witnesses in the murder case.