‘If I’m Found Dead, Tell Them It Is Sarah’: Tob Cohen’s Final Warning Revealed in Murder Trial

• Former MP Patrick Muiruri testified that Tob Cohen feared for his life and warned that if he was found dead, Sarah Wairimu Kamotho would be responsible.
• Cohen had confided in Muiruri about plans to divorce Wairimu due to alleged theft of property documents and marital difficulties.
• A law firm clerk, Mary Mutisya, stated Wairimu requested land record searches for Cohen's property and made M-Pesa payments for caveat withdrawal follow-up.
• Government analyst John Mungai presented exhibits including clothing, a curtain from the water tank, and a yellow bag that covered Cohen's body.
• The trial, presided over by Lady Justice Diana Rachel Kavedza, will resume on October 14, 2026, as the prosecution continues to present evidence.

Muiruri further revealed that Cohen had explicitly stated, "If anything bad happens to me, or I am found dead somewhere, tell them it is Sarah," a statement that deeply concerned Muiruri for his friend's safety.

The murder trial of Sarah Wairimu Kamotho, accused in the death of her husband Tob Cohen, recently resumed before Lady Justice Diana Rachel Kavedza in the Kenya High Court. During the proceedings, the prosecution, led by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Vincent Monda, presented three key witnesses as it continued to build its case. A central piece of testimony came from former Member of Parliament Patrick Muiruri, a friend of Cohen for three decades, who recounted a chilling warning from the businessman just days before his disappearance.

Muiruri testified that on July 19, 2019, Cohen contacted him, expressing apprehension about returning to his matrimonial home. This conversation, according to Muiruri, was their final exchange. Four days prior, on July 15, 2019, Cohen had confided in Muiruri about significant marital difficulties with Wairimu and his intentions to pursue a divorce. The reasons cited for the divorce included alleged theft of property documents, misappropriation of company funds, and long-standing marital discord. Muiruri further revealed that Cohen had explicitly stated, "If anything bad happens to me, or I am found dead somewhere, tell them it is Sarah," a statement that deeply concerned Muiruri for his friend's safety. The former MP also recalled a public altercation between Cohen and Wairimu at a wedding in December 2018, during which Wairimu allegedly declared to her husband, "This is not your house." This testimony forms a critical part of the prosecution's strategy in the Tob Cohen murder trial Sarah Wairimu testimony.

Further evidence presented in the Kenya High Court murder trial included testimony from Mary Mutisya, a clerk at a law firm. Mutisya informed the court that Sarah Wairimu had requested her assistance in searching land records pertaining to Cohen’s property. Wairimu subsequently sent Mutisya payments via M-Pesa and instructed her to follow up on an application aimed at withdrawing a caveat that had been registered against the property. Mutisya later learned of Cohen’s disappearance through media reports, adding another layer to the prosecution's narrative concerning property-related motives.

The third witness for the prosecution was government analyst John Mungai, who presented several exhibits crucial to the case. These items included clothing purportedly belonging to Tob Cohen, a curtain retrieved from inside the water tank where his body was ultimately discovered, a red robe, and a distinctive yellow polythene bag. The court was informed that this yellow bag had covered Cohen’s body when it was recovered from his compound in September 2019, after he had been reported missing. These physical exhibits, alongside the witness accounts, are being used to establish the circumstances surrounding the businessman's death.

The ongoing proceedings underscore the prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence to link Sarah Wairimu Kamotho to the death of Tob Cohen. The strategic use of personal warnings, documented marital disputes, and financial transactions related to property records, such as the M-Pesa payments for land records, illustrates the comprehensive approach taken by prosecutor Vincent Monda. This case highlights how various pieces of information, from a friend's testimony about a final warning to a law firm clerk's account of property inquiries, are meticulously woven together to construct a compelling narrative in complex criminal matters.

The murder charge against Wairimu is being heard by Lady Justice Diana Rachel Kavedza, with the trial continuing to unfold as more witnesses and evidence are presented. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 14, 2026, indicating the protracted nature of this high-profile case. The detailed presentation of evidence, including the Tob Cohen warning and the property-related transactions, is central to the prosecution's effort to demonstrate culpability in the absence of direct eyewitness accounts of the alleged crime.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the strategic use of circumstantial evidence, including personal warnings, property disputes, and financial transactions (M-Pesa payments for land records), in building a high-profile murder case in Kenya. This case provides insight into evidentiary standards and prosecutorial approaches in complex criminal matters, which can inform defense strategies or risk assessments related to personal and business affairs.

Source: Reporting based on court proceedings in Kenya.