Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Cohen to be buried Monday as widow awaits court order to attend funeral

Sarah Cohen and her lawyer Philip Murgor at Chiromo Mortuary /SAM WANJOHI.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 22- Slain Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen will be buried on Monday at the jewish cemetery in Nairobi, at a closed family event, which his widow Sarah Wairimu wants to be allowed to attend.

Wairimu is remanded at the Lang’ata Women’s Prison, awaiting to take plea over his murder, but she also wants to attend the funeral.

Her lawyer Philip Murgor filed an application in court on Friday seeking orders to have her bury her husband. The case will be heard on Monday morning, ahead of Cohen’s burial set for 1.30pm.

He will be buried at the Jewish Community cemetery on Prof. Wangari Mathai Road, according to his wishes, complete with the exact spot in the cemetery where he directed his remains to be interred.

The specific spot is marked 184, according to those involved in the burial arrangements.

According to the Jewish tradition, there will be no viewing of his body in the brief ceremony that will start with prayers followed by his eulogy.

Just before his body is slowly taken to the graveside, there will chanting of prayers.

Sources familiar with the Jewish tradition say mourners are required to dress in black. There is no form of music allowed at the send-off ceremony.

Reports indicate that Cohen’s sister Gabrielle has already left the country, leaving behind her brother who will represent the Dutch family.

An autopsy on his body was conducted last week by three pathologists led by Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor, but the results were not immediately released to the public to due to an existing court order.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Dr Johansen Oduor briefing reporters after Cohen’s autopsy at Chiromo Mortuary. /SAM WANJOHI.

A will unveiled by Cohen’s lawyer on Friday is said to have left nothing for his widow Wairimu who is accused of murdering him jointly with others.

His body was discovered at his Kitusuru home on September 13, dumped in an underground water tank, after missing for nearly 2 months. Wairimu was arrested a couple of days in the course of the investigation when the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said they had evidence linking her directly with the murder.

DCI’s Scenes of Crimes personnel carry Cohen’s body to a waiting car when it was found at his home on September 13, 2019. /MOSES MUOKI.

She initially claimed in statements to the police that Cohen might have traveled abroad for medical treatment, but Kinoti said her version on the sequence of events was not adding up, leading to her arrest.

The prosecution later presented her in court with a charge sheet on Cohen’s murder, but she could not plead because she had not undergone a mental assessment.

Cohen’s body was also yet to be found, with her lawyer Murgor accusing the DCI of charging her without a “shred of evidence”.

Nonetheless, the court ordered she be remanded at the Lang’ata Women’s prison awaiting the charges.

But before she could undergo the mental assessment or take plea, Cohen’s body was discovered at his home.

The DCI has said they have sufficient evidence to charge her with Cohen’s murder and are even detaining a man said to be her close associate, who has been placed at the centre of the crime scene.

DCI boss George Kinoti addressing journalists when Cohen’s body was found on September 13, 2019. /DCI.

Police were given until October 4, to finalize investigations on his alleged involvement.

Cohen is a former Chief Executive Officer of Dutch conglomerate Philips East Africa who has lived in Kenya for many years and was lately known for organizing golf tournaments.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News