‘I could write a book’: Former Tob Cohen, Sarah Wairimu employee recounts their troubled marriage

A former employee of the late businessman Tob Cohen and his wife, Sarah Wairimu, Shilindwa Shishemi, for the second day, recounted a series of incidents he allegedly witnessed inside the couple’s home, including heated disagreements and physical altercations.

Shishemi told the court during cross-examination that the couple had a troubled marriage marked by insults, frequent quarrels and physical altercations.

He offered the court and the public a rare glimpse into the private life of the late businessman and his wife, lifting the lid on events that unfolded behind the doors of their lavish Kitisuru home in Nairobi.

“When I went outside, Tob was crying, saying, ‘Do not kill me.’ He was using other words like, ‘You stupid woman.’ They had developed a separation mood,” said Shishemi.

The tenth prosecution witness also told the court that Cohen’s use of alcohol contributed to his behaviour and further strained the couple’s relationship.

“Sarah one day asked me if I suspect or ever seen Cohen using other drugs,” Shishemi added.

During the brief period he worked for Cohen and Wairimu, Shishemi recounted witnessing a series of incidents inside their home, which he said were too numerous to narrate in one sitting.

“If you give me time, I can write a book about the Tob Cohen's family. For the three months I stayed with them, I saw a lot of things,” Shishemi said.

Two other witnesses also testified before High Court Judge Diana Kavedza, among them an investigating officer who recorded Wairimu’s report of her husband’s disappearance at Kilimani Police Station on July 31, 2019.

Cohen is reported to have been killed between July 19 and 20, 2019 and the case has dragged on for more than seven years.