This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
On September 16, 2019, the High Court directed Sarah Wairimu, the estranged wife of murdered Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen, to plead to charges on September 26.
Justice Jessie Lesiit postponed the plea taking after it emerged that Ms Wairimu was yet to undergo a mental exam, which was ordered to be completed within seven days.
The court also directed a post-mortem exam on Mr Cohen's body to be done on Tuesday, with pathologists for Ms Wairimu and the family of the late Cohen allowed to be present during the examination.
Mr Cohen's family, represented by lawyers Cliff Ombeta and Dunstan Omari, sought the release of the body for burial immediately after the post-mortem exam, but the judge said the court had no jurisdiction over the internment of the remains.
Defence lawyer Philip Murgor argued that Ms Wairimu's bail application should be heard after she takes her plea on September 26, citing that she had been in custody since August 28.
Justice Lesiit directed that Ms Wairimu remain at the Lang'ata Women Prison for the next 10 days.
During the session, the court also barred the media from publishing details of the investigations into Mr Cohen's murder and prohibited Mr Cohen's family from speaking to the media.
Mr Murgor complained that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had been conducting investigations in the media, releasing sensitive information, including the claim that Mr Cohen had passed on his Sh400 million villa to his sister Gabriele.
He argued that Ms Wairimu owned 50 percent of the estate and urged the court to release her on bond to fight for her rights through the civil court.
