Former housekeeper Chrispinus Chehemi testified before Justice Diana Kavedza in the High Court about a violent confrontation between Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen and his wife Sarah Wairimu on February 8, 2019. Chehemi recounted hearing Cohen crying for help, shouting "You are killing me, you are killing me," during the altercation. He rushed to the scene and found Cohen on the floor near the stairs, bleeding and later collapsing against a flower vase.
According to Chehemi, Sarah Wairimu was allegedly holding a chair over Cohen during the confrontation. Cohen later blamed Chehemi for not intervening, saying "You did not help me when Sarah was beating me." The witness's testimony is part of the prosecution's case against Sarah Wairimu, who faces murder charges in connection with Cohen's death. Cohen's body was discovered in an underground water tank on his Kitisuru property.
Chehemi also recounted a separate episode in which Cohen ordered him to break open a safe at the couple's Spring Valley home. When Chehemi refused, Cohen called another man to drill it open and later examined its contents, allegedly seeking land documents for a property sale. This incident highlights the deteriorating relationship between Cohen and his wife.
The couple's relationship had further deteriorated, with Cohen stopping eating meals prepared by Wairimu and beginning to prepare or buy his own food. This change in behavior suggests that the couple's domestic issues were escalating.
Police testimony presented by the prosecution highlighted repeated domestic disturbances between Cohen and Wairimu. In July 2019, Wairimu called Parklands Police Station, where officers found her locked in a bedroom refusing to open the door.
Another officer, PC Stanley Kanyile, described a separate distress call in which three men identified as relatives were present, while a woman inside the house communicated through a window about ongoing domestic issues. These incidents demonstrate a pattern of domestic violence in the couple's relationship.
Sarah Wairimu continues to face murder charges in the High Court, denying any involvement in Cohen's death. The prosecution's case relies heavily on witness testimony, including Chehemi's account of the 2019 domestic clash.
Key points
- Former housekeeper Chrispinus Chehemi testified about a violent confrontation between Tob Cohen and his wife Sarah Wairimu in February 2019.
- The couple's relationship had deteriorated, with Cohen stopping eating meals prepared by Wairimu and beginning to prepare or buy his own food.
- Police testimony highlighted repeated domestic disturbances between Cohen and Wairimu, including a July 2019 call to Parklands Police Station.
