Tob Cohen’s burial has been postponed to tomorrow due to Jewish religious requirements where 10 priests and a Rabbi are pre-conditions for the ceremony to be held.
The burial was postponed at the last minute despite all other necessary arrangements having been put in place including physical presence of Cohen’s remanded wife Sarah Wairimu Cohen and deceased’s brother Bernard Cohen.
Two additional priests confirmed they will be available tomorrow at 2.30pm and a Chief Rabbi to perform the burial rites.
“This is a contest between the African Kenya customs versus the Jewish customs. There is the way they do it. A brother buries a brother. Bernard, the brother to my good friend Cohen is here he is in charge. Cohen will be buried tomorrow at 2.30pm. There will be no monkey business. This was an anomaly occasioned by religious practices. Ten priests and a Rabbi must be present,” Cohen’s family lawyer Danstan Omari said.
One Rabbi was this afternoon traveling from Kisumu to Nairobi while the other flew from Mombasa to Nairobi.
Wairimu’s lawyer Philip Murgor said the burial ceremony is a joint undertaking between his client Wairimu and Gabrie Van Straten, Cohen’s sister as per the burial permit and consent order registered in court.
Yesterday afternoon, he sought variation of the court order to have Wairimu allowed to attend the burial today afternoon.
She arrived at the Jewish Cemetery along Wangari Mathai Road at 12.45pm yesterday under heavy police escort from Prisons Department.
