Sarah Wairimu Cohen, the widow accused of murdering her Dutch tycoon husband Tob Cohen, was on Monday taken back to her former palatial residence in Lower Kabete, Nairobi, nearly two years after her re-arrest.
Sarah was escorted to the home, which remains a protected crime scene, to enable her newly appointed defence team to inspect the property ahead of the continuation of her murder trial.
Senior Counsel Pravin Bowry (right) talk to his client Sarah Wairimu Cohen on June15, 2026 during the Tob Cohen murder trial.
Photo credit: Richard Munguti | Nation Media Group
The high-end residence has remained central to investigations since the decomposed body of Tob Cohen was recovered from a septic tank on September 10, 2019, nearly two months after he was reported missing.
Sarah was escorted from Lang’ata Women’s Prison under heavy security by armed prison warders and officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) led by Superintendent Maxwell Otieno. Apart from the prison warders, the other security officers were dressed in civilian clothes.
“The purpose of today’s visit is to allow defence lawyer Senior Counsel Pravin Bowry to inspect various scenes relevant to the case, particularly the septic tank where the body of the deceased was recovered,” Superintendent Otieno told the parties present.
Prosecutor Gikui Gichuhi and DCI officers guided Senior Counsel Bowry and the Cohen family lawyer, Kimani Wakima, through the various locations documented during investigations, including areas that were captured on video by investigators.
Sarah appeared visibly tense when the team entered the master bedroom previously shared by her and the deceased. The site visit lasted about four hours, from 9 am to 1 pm.
After the exercise, Sarah was escorted back to Lang’ata Women’s Prison where she remains in remand custody.
The trial court also ordered prison authorities and DCI officers to escort Sarah to a bank on June 24, 2026, to enable her withdraw money for personal upkeep and settlement of bills.
The last time the court visited the residence was in April 2025, when the judge received testimony from three former employees of the slain businessman.
Another former employee, Mathew Muiruri Kinyanjui, who described himself as a close confidant of Cohen, told the court that Sarah instructed the workers to tell police and anyone else inquiring about Cohen’s whereabouts that he had travelled to Thailand for medical treatment.
Sarah has remained in custody since July 2025 after the court dismissed her application for bail. The trial judge declined to release her on bond, citing witness intimidation and interference with the administration of justice.
She has unsuccessfully sought bail twice, with the court maintaining that she had failed to meet the legal threshold for release.
The judge ordered that she remain at Lang’ata Women’s Prison until the defence demonstrates a significant change in circumstances warranting a review of the decision.
The prosecution opposed her release, arguing that she posed a flight risk, had interfered with witnesses and could tamper with evidence.
In its ruling, the court found a likelihood of witness interference and noted that Sarah had allegedly obtained a second passport while her original travel document was in police custody.
Sarah Wairimu Cohen, the widow of Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen (inset), during a past appearance at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Sarah is accused of killing her husband and disposing of his body in a septic tank at their Lower Kabete home.
The court has since directed investigators to preserve and protect the crime scene and all related evidence.
“After analysing the submissions presented by the prosecution, I find merit in the averments that witnesses have been threatened and genuinely fear for their lives,” the trial judge ruled.
Cohen, a Dutch national, was a prominent businessman who had lived in Kenya for more than three decades. He served in various senior corporate positions, including as Chief Executive Officer of Philips East Africa.
His body was eventually discovered in an underground septic tank at his home on Farasi Lane in Mugomoini Close, Lower Kabete, after an extensive search by family members and police.
The trial is scheduled to resume on July 13, 2026.
