This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On September 17, 2019, a postmortem examination on the body of Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen was rescheduled for Wednesday after a dispute over the pathologist conducting the autopsy.
Government Chief Pathologist Johansen Oduor will lead a team of doctors in conducting the postmortem examination at the Chiromo mortuary, replacing Peter Ndegwa who was initially assigned to the task.
The autopsy will be done in the presence of two other independent pathologists – Prof Emily Rugena representing Cohen’s family and Prof Andrew Gachii representing key suspect Sarah Cohen and other interested parties.
The defence team led by Philip Murgor had objected to Ndegwa conducting the autopsy, accusing him of making conclusive statements at the scene of crime last Friday.
During a pre-postmortem conference at Chiromo, Ndegwa explained that the defence lawyers had requested him to step down due to concerns that his involvement might prejudice the process.
The defence team is seeking to have Sarah Wairimu Cohen, who is in police custody, allowed to go to the mortuary to identify the body ahead of the autopsy.
However, Cohen’s family lawyer Cliff Ombeta expressed concerns that the postponement of the autopsy had a far-reaching effect on the deceased’s relatives, who are Jews, and had overstretched their finances through their long stay in hotels.
