Tob Cohen murder trial: DCI examiner exposes discrepancies in signatures on original Will, forged letter

Testifying for the prosecution, John Muinde also dismissed letters seeking the withdrawal of an assault case against Sarah Wairimu, saying they were not authored by Cohen as alleged. His findings established inconsistencies in the handwriting.

The court heard that the letters were purportedly written at a time when Cohen was already dead.

The prosecution’s 27th witness on Wednesday took the court through a forensic examination of disputed documents, with particular focus on the signatures appearing on the will of slain businessman Tob Cohen.

Forensic document examiner John Muinde, attached to DCI headquarters, told the Kibera High Court that there were discrepancies between the signatures on Cohen’s original will and those on a printed version that was in the possession of his wife, Sarah Wairimu.

"Comparison between A and B7 and P1 and P2 made the following observations. The questioned documents P1 and P2 are photocopies with evidence of manipulation on the enclosed part of the pencil," said Muinde.

A separate letter, purportedly authored by Cohen and addressed to officers at Parklands and Spring Valley police stations, as well as his lawyer, seeking to withdraw an assault case against his wife, was also found to be forged. The letter was reportedly written a few days after Cohen had been killed.

"Examination of P1 and P2 with known signatures of Tob Cohen and found disimilarities. There were evidence of tremor," Muinde submitted.

The court also heard from senior police officers, among them former Kilimani DCIO Fatuma Adi Ali, who recounted how she received reports of Cohen’s disappearance and subsequently interrogated Sarah Wairimu.

Fatuma told the court that Wairimu had informed her that she had shared breakfast with her husband on July 20, 2019, before he left for the airport to travel abroad. Cohen was reportedly killed on the night of July 19.

"And that morning before leaving they shared breakfast and Tob Cohen apologised to her and promised to drop a divorce file. She parked and left for the airport. I asked her to share the airline but she failed to provide," said Fatuma Adi.

The defence subjected Fatuma, who is now the Director of Planning at DCI headquarters, to intense questioning, particularly over two women whose phone numbers she said Wairimu had given her during the interview.

"You're lying that the accused gave you the numbers of Cohen's women. You did not get the number from the accused," defence counsel Parvin Bowry questioned.

In response, Fatuma submitted, "I'm not lying to the court. You can get intelligence from a suspect, witness. She gave me the numbers when confiding in me."

Two other witnesses, former Gigiri Sub-County Commander Richard Mwangi and former government pathologist Peter Ndegwa, also testified.

The murder trial is set to continue on Thursday.