Lawyers Cliff Ombeta (right), Phillip Murgor (centre), pathologist Andrew Gachie (left) outside Chiromo Mortuary in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 17/CFM – Joseph Muraya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 17 – The autopsy on the body of Dutch Tycoon Tob Cohen aborted on Tuesday after his widow Sarah Wairimu, through lawyer Phillip Murgor, demanded for a different government pathologist.
The exercise will now be conducted by Chief Pathologist Johansen Oduor at the Chiromo Mortuary, after the rejection of Dr Peter Ndegwa who was on duty on Tuesday.
“I was in the scene of crime on Friday as a pathologist invited by the DCI, the lawyer was there, they picked something I said to him (DCI) at the alleged crime scene and as a result, they have requested that we have Dr. Johansen Odour come instead,” Ndegwa told journalist on Tuesday.
“My colleague Dr Johansen Oduor is on leave but he has agreed to be here tomorrow (Wednesday) for the postmortem examination. As you know, justice has to be seen to be done and therefore we have accepted or agreed as a team because of that feeling.”
The exercise is set to start at 9.30 am.
Pathologists representing Cohen’s family and Wairimu had camped at the Chiromo Funeral Parlour since 9am.
Those who were present included lawyer Cliff Ombeta who is representing Cohen’s kin, lawyer Murgor for the widow, an investigating officer, a team from the Government Chemist and pathologists.
Cohen’s body was by Tuesday afternoon set to be taken to Kenyatta National Hospital for a pre-postmortem X-ray ahead of examination on Wednesday.
Once done, the postmortem will be able to determine the probable cause of death. The pathologists will also be able to estimate when the death occurred.
Cohen went missing more than 50 days, from the night of July 19 but his body was found inside an underground water tank last week on September 13.
A case in which the State wished to prefer a murder charge against Cohen’s widow Wairimu was on Monday pushed to September 26, to allow a mental assessment on Wairimu.
Justice Jessie Lesiit gave the prosecution and defence a week to agree on when the assessment should be conducted before she can formally plead on the murder charge.
Cohen, a celebrated golf tournament organizer, was reported missing two months ago, and his wife was arrested and detained until September 12, when the prosecution told the court that they had evidence to charge her with the murder.
He is a former Chief Executive Officer of Dutch conglomerate Philips East Africa who has lived in Kenya for many years.
