Police made several failed attempts to arrest Sarah Wairimu before Cohen’s death, court told

Fresh details have emerged in the ongoing murder trial of Dutch businessman Tob Cohen, with the High Court hearing that police made several unsuccessful attempts to arrest and prosecute his wife, Sarah Wairimu, over assault allegations in the months before his death.

Testifying before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court yesterday, Superintendent James Murigu told the court that officers tried between four and five times to trace and arrest Sarah after Cohen reported that she had assaulted him.

Murigu said Cohen initially lodged complaints at Spring Valley and Parklands police stations, alleging that Sarah had assaulted him.

In response, Sarah filed her own complaint at Gigiri Police Station, accusing Cohen of assault.

The officer explained that the matter was later referred to the Nairobi Regional Complaints Office after investigators at Spring Valley Police Station encountered difficulties progressing the case against Sarah.

“After I was called to the Nairobi Regional Complaints Office, I was ordered to take over the case. I instructed my junior officers to trace Sarah, arrest her and take her to court. That was never to be,” Murigu testified.

According to the senior officer, efforts to locate Sarah repeatedly hit a dead end, while Cohen, despite being the complainant, appeared increasingly reluctant to assist investigators.

Murigu told the court that Cohen declined to provide Sarah’s contact details or reveal her whereabouts, insisting that she remained his wife despite ongoing divorce proceedings.

Whenever police sought information that could help locate her, Cohen reportedly informed them that Sarah had travelled abroad and promised to notify authorities upon her return.

The court further heard that on April 17, 2019, Cohen formally wrote to police seeking to withdraw the assault complaint against Sarah. However, the dispute between the couple continued to draw police attention.

In June 2019, Cohen again contacted investigators, this time claiming he was being harassed by officers from Gigiri Police Station over Sarah’s counter-complaint.

Murigu said he subsequently prepared a report for the Nairobi Regional Complaints Office outlining the actions he had taken to ensure Cohen received justice.

The officer also disclosed that on June 4, 2019, advocate Shadrack Wambui wrote to him questioning why Sarah had not been charged despite Cohen having reported the assault and obtained a duly completed P3 medical report signed by police surgeon Dr Kamau.

Murigu further testified that on July 22, 2019, while serving at Parklands Police Station, he received a letter delivered by a courier rider and purportedly authored by Cohen, indicating that he no longer wished to pursue the assault case.

Following receipt of the letter, Murigu instructed investigating officer Mose Mbalwe to close the case file after obtaining a formal statement from Cohen confirming his decision to withdraw the complaint.

The testimony adds a new dimension to the long-running case surrounding Cohen’s death, shedding light on the turbulent relationship between the businessman and Sarah in the months leading up to his disappearance.

Cohen vanished in July 2019 and was later found dead, sparking one of Kenya’s most closely watched murder investigations.