Tob Cohen murder: First witness testifies against Sarah Wairimu as trial kicks off

The first witness in the ongoing murder trial against Sarah Wairimu Cohen, the widow of late businessman Tob Cohen, testified at the crime scene in Kitisuru on Thursday, as prosecutors continued establishing key details surrounding the circumstances of his death.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) noted that the second witness will take the stand on Friday.

The prosecution team laid out a strong case against Wairimu when the trial commenced at the Kibera High Courts on Thursday.

During the opening statement, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Gikui Gichuhi detailed the harrowing circumstances of Cohen's death, stressing that the evidence presented would unmistakably demonstrate Wairimu’s role in her husband’s brutal murder.

Tob Cohen was reported missing for 54 days before his lifeless body was discovered on September 13, 2019, in an underground water tank at his Kitisuru home.

"The evidence you will hear throughout this trial will establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused, Sarah Wairimu Cohen, is the one who killed her husband, Tob Cohen," the prosecution declared.

Further, the ODPP described the relationship between Cohen and Wairimu as toxic and full of conflict, ultimately culminating in the fatal events of July 19, 2019—the last day Cohen was seen alive.

The prosecution's case will be supported by a range of evidence, including forensic findings, witness testimony, expert reports, and scientific analyses such as DNA results, autopsy reports, cybercrime analysis and entomology studies.

Additionally, the prosecution aims to prove that Wairimu premeditated the murder and ruthlessly carried it out in cold blood.

Wairimu was charged with Cohen’s murder on July 19, 2019. During a plea hearing last month, the ODPP successfully opposed her bail application.

She was re-arrested in January 2025 after a case review uncovered sufficient evidence to formally charge her with murder.