Wairimu told detectives ‘missing’ husband Cohen was in Thailand

By  Richard Munguti

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• The officer questioned why Ms Wairimu did not appear concerned that her husband had been away for 11 days without communicating with her.

• “She (Sarah) repeated, ‘Don’t worry, I know he’s in Thailand. He has gone for medication, he will be back,’” Ms Ali testified.

Sarah Wairimu told police that her husband, Dutch businessman Tob Cohen, had travelled to Thailand for medical treatment 11 days after his disappearance, the Kibera High Court has heard.

Ms Wairimu made the claim when she was summoned to the Kilimani DCI offices on July 31, 2019, after the Netherlands Embassy raised concerns over Mr Cohen’s whereabouts.

Fatuma Ali, who was then the Kilimani Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO), told Justice Diana Kavedza on Wednesday that she interviewed Ms Wairimu after the deputy head of mission at the Netherlands Embassy reported that Mr Cohen had gone missing and “could not be reached on phone.” Ms Ali said investigators were seeking to establish the whereabouts of the businessman, who had disappeared from his home in Lower Kabete, Kitisuru.

During the interview, Ms Wairimu allegedly maintained that Mr Cohen had travelled to Thailand on July 20, 2019, after the couple had breakfast together that morning.

“She informed me that I should not be worried because Tob Cohen travelled to Thailand on July 20 and that morning they had breakfast together. Tob Cohen apologised to her and promised to drop a divorce case he had filed in court,” Ms Ali testified.

'Could not identify airline'

Ms Wairimu further told the officer that she had packed some items for her husband before his departure but could not identify the airline he had used.

Ms Ali said she asked Ms Wairimu whether she had tried to contact Mr Cohen since he allegedly left for Thailand, or whether she had received any communication from him. Ms Wairimu reportedly confirmed that she had neither contacted him nor heard from him since his departure.

The officer questioned why Ms Wairimu did not appear concerned that her husband had been away for 11 days without communicating with her.

“She (Sarah) repeated, ‘Don’t worry, I know he’s in Thailand. He has gone for medication, he will be back,’” Ms Ali testified.

According to the witness, Ms Wairimu also confirmed that she had not reported Mr Cohen missing at any police station, or contacted his relatives in the Netherlands to establish whether he had arrived in Thailand.

During the interview, Ms Wairimu disclosed that her marriage to Mr Cohen had been troubled, with several cases pending in court and others under investigation at different police stations. Before leaving the station, she also volunteered information about Mr Cohen’s alleged relationships with other women, which she said could assist investigators.

“She told me the information she will give me might help in investigations. She gave me two names and two telephone numbers of two women she indicated were close to Mr Cohen,” the witness testified.

The women were identified as Margaret Wanjiru and Monica Wangari Githinji. Ms Ali said she summoned them separately, and both confirmed that they knew Mr Cohen.

Ms Wanjiru told investigators that she had known Mr Cohen for six years and met him regularly. She said their last meeting was at a hotel in Westlands, where they had drinks before he left in a Mercedes-Benz.

Ms Githinji, who said she met Mr Cohen in 2017 at a restaurant in Westlands, told police that their last communication was on July 17, 2019, while she was attending a church function in Machakos.

Ms Ali said investigators recorded statements from both women before allowing them to leave.

The officer also recounted several subsequent telephone conversations with Ms Wairimu as investigations into Mr Cohen’s disappearance continued.

Flying Squad summons

On one occasion, Ms Wairimu called Ms Ali to ask whether she knew Musa Yego, who was then heading the Flying Squad. She told the officer that Mr Yego had contacted her and summoned her to his office. Ms Ali advised her to honour the summons. Ms Wairimu later called back to say she had met Mr Yego, who had advised her to prepare a detailed statement and submit it to him.

In another conversation, Ms Wairimu asked whether officers who had visited her house were from Ms Ali’s office. She mentioned an officer identified as Kibet, whom Ms Ali contacted and established was among officers who had accompanied a team from police headquarters.

A day later, Ms Wairimu called again and mentioned three homicide detectives from DCI headquarters, identified as Mwangi, Otieno and Hassan. After confirming that the three were her colleagues, Ms Ali advised Ms Wairimu to honour any summons and establish why the officers wanted to see her.

Mr Cohen’s decomposed body was discovered on September 13, 2019, buried in an underground water tank at his Lower Kabete property.

So far, 27 prosecution witnesses have testified in the trial, with 17 more expected to take the stand.

The trial continues.

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