Police reveal Cohen, Wairimu's repeated disputes before murder

Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen and his wife Sarah Wairimu Kamotho.[File, Standard]

Two police officers have told the High Court how repeated domestic disputes between slain Dutch businessman Tob Cohen and his wife Sarah Wairimu had brought them to the attention of police months before his death.

The officers testified on Monday before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court, describing separate incidents handled at Parklands, Spring Valley and Gigiri police stations.

DCIO Makueni Joseph Maina, who was then based at Parklands Police Station, told the court that officers went to Cohen’s Spring Valley home on July 19, 2019, after he reported that Wairimu had assaulted him.

Maina said he accompanied four other officers to the residence to arrest Wairimu over the alleged assault

“When we arrived at the area that is Cohen's home we were ushered in by the guard. We met Cohen who had dressed in a blue jeans and shirt and a coat,” Maina said.

He said Cohen directed the officers to Wairimu’s bedroom, where she had locked herself inside

“He directed us to the bedroom and the door was locked from inside. I personally tried to knock the door, and Sarah declined to open,” Maina testified.

The officers identified themselves and repeatedly called Wairimu by name but she did not open the door.

“He convinced us that Sarah was still in the house. We tried to call her by her name, trying to inform her we are police officers. We did not have another option but we left,” he said.

Maina said the incident was later recorded at the police station under OB 37/19/7/2019 at about 3.45 pm.

He identified PC Moses Mbalwe as the investigating officer handling Cohen’s assault complaint.

Police Constable Stanley Kanyile, now attached to Nakuru County headquarters, also testified about a distress call that took officers to Cohen’s Spring Valley home.

Kanyile said they found Cohen with three men dressed in civilian clothes, whom he identified as relatives.

“One lady who had locked herself inside the house confirmed to have domestic issue with Cohen. She was communicating through the window,” Kanyile told the court.

He said Cohen confirmed to police that he had been assaulted by Wairimu and had reported the matter at Parklands Police Station.

Wairimu later emerged and told the officers Cohen was her husband, while identifying the three men as her relatives who had come to help resolve the dispute.

The parties were subsequently taken to Gigiri Police Station, where police established that Cohen had made a report.

The evidence came as the prosecution continued presenting witnesses in the murder case against Wairimu, who denies killing her husband.

Cohen’s body was later discovered in an underground water tank at his Kitisuru property.