Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 6 – Sarah Cohen, the widow of murdered Dutch businessman Tob Cohen now wants to have property, pets and passports returned to her after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji dropped murder charges against her.
Sarah through her lawyer Philip Murgor called on the DPP, the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome and the new Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin to act in good faith and release the confiscated property to her.
Her request came a few hours after the High court allowed an application by DPP Haji to withdraw Tob Cohen’s murder case against Sarah Wairimu and her co-accused Peter Karanja paving way for an inquest.
“For now, Sarah would like to resume her normal life, without looking over her shoulder, as a free Kenyan citizen,” Lawyer Murgor said.
Sarah noted that she is well aware that her home has been completely destroyed since the beginning of the case saying she will be pursuing compensation from those responsible.
She went on to laud DPP Haji, DPP for having “the courage to stand up to admit that the decision to charge her in the first place was wrong, and without justification.”
While highlighting the developments following the discovery of Cohen’s body, Lawyer Murgor accused former DCI boss George Kinoti of holding Sarah’s matrimonial home as a purported “scene of crime” for the last three years to provide what he described as an “advantage to the siblings of Tob Cohen, who also claim the same property, on grounds of a disputed will dated 30th April 2019.”
According to Murgor, it has since been established by an examiner that the will in question was forged.
He went on to praise the High Court decision allowing an inquest on the case noting that it will give them a fresh opportunity to clear Sarah’s name over her husband’s death.
Murgor said that the case had been “hijacked” by individuals with selfish interest singling out Kinoti.
“Today marks the end of a nightmare in the life of Sarah that began in July 2019, when her late husband Tob Cohen disappeared. The alleged disappearance was quickly hijacked, and became the object of criminal manipulation, and disinformation by a group led by Mr. George Kinoti DCI, some elements in the ODPP, and even sections of the print, electronic and social media, Sarah was depicted as guilty of murder, well before the body of her late husband was even found,” Murgor stated.
Lawyer Murgor further said that it has since emerged that the case against Sarah was a fabrication adding that there were always gross deficiencies in the evidence presented against her by the prosecution.
“Sarah has repeatedly asked for fresh, thorough and independent investigations that would involve foreign investigative agencies, but her pleas fell on deaf years during the former political establishment, as DCI Kinoti was considered a law unto himself. The IG and the DPP became helpless bystanders to DCI Kinoti’s whims and fancies,” Murgor stated.
Going forward, Murgor stated that his client calls on the parties involved in the Inquest to ensure that the investigations are expanded to include everyone who was involved in the alleged manipulation and falsification of evidence including those who claim to have an interest in her co-owned matrimonial property.
“Every motive must be thoroughly investigated,” Murgor said.
He went on to call on the siblings of the murdered businessman involved in the case to stay silent over the ownership of the disputed property until the High court makes its ruling.
“To Gabriele and Bernard, the siblings of Tob Cohen, Sarah appeals to them to shut up and let independent investigators do their job. As for their claim to Sarah’s co-owned matrimonial property, on the basis of the disputed will, they should await determination of the matter in the High Court,” he said.
On her part, Sarah stated that she won’t avenge anyone involved in her woes noting that her main focus is to rebuild her life.
“I am not going to steal the Lord’s thunder,” she said.
She thanked her legal team led by Murgor for standing with by her through all her predicaments.
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