Cohen widow allowed to collect belongings from home

Sarah Wairimu Cohen, who is charged with the murder of her husband Tob Cohen, on Monday collected her personal effects from the home she shared with her late spouse in Kitisuru.

A court had ordered that she be accompanied by two female officers in every room she enters to pick up her belongings.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives also took an inventory of each item she collected from the house which is still cordoned off as an active crime scene.

She entered the home at 11.30 am accompanied by her lawyers and DCI detectives.

Before accessing the house, her lawyers briefly differed with the DCI over which cameras would be allowed in to document the process.

Homicide detective Maxwell Otieno had insisted that only DCI cameras would be allowed in but was this was opposed by Wairimu's lawyer Philip Murgor.

Mr Murgor was also opposed to an attempt by a Cohen family lawyer to access the home to verify items that she would collect.

"The court order was very clear on who gets in. We must stick to it," said Mr Murgor.

The issue was, however, sorted out after Cohen family lead lawyers Cliff Ombeta and Dunstan Omari settled on having the DCI record the process.

"We wanted to be present to ensure that all she collects is rightly hers but since the order does not permit us, we shall review the footage recorded by the DCI," said Mr Ombeta.

Wairimu's access to the property was allowed by the High Court on January 16.

She was only allowed to pick up her clothes, handbags, shoes and makeup.

“The items to be collected shall be the ones deemed necessary to afford her a comfortable life under the circumstances of this case," ruled Justice Stella Mutuku.