This archive report was first published on 22 September 2019.
On September 22nd, 2019, it was announced that Tob Cohen, the Dutch businessman who went missing on July 19th before being found dead on September 13th, would be buried in a Jewish cemetery in Nairobi.
The burial, which will take place on Monday, will follow Jewish customs and traditions. Cohen's body was retrieved from an underground water tank at his home in Nairobi's Kitisuru estate, where he had been decomposing.
According to The Standard, Cohen had already marked his final resting place at the cemetery, where the spot is marked number 184. This will be his final number under the sun, as per Jewish tradition.
As per Judaist customs, there will be no viewing of the deceased's body or opening of the casket. Mourners are expected to dress in black and modestly, and there will be no greetings at the cemetery until the body is lowered into the grave.
Family members, including Cohen's siblings Bernard and Gabrielle, will be expected to make a ritual tear of their outer garments. The burial ceremony will begin with a prayer, followed by the reading of biblical passages and the eulogy.
“There will be no viewing of the body, no opening of the casket at the funeral. The body is not buried in suits but wrapped in white clothing,” said a source at the Jewish Synagogue in Nairobi.
The ceremony, expected to begin at 1:30 pm, will be a private affair. Cohen's estranged wife, Sarah Wairimu, who is the prime suspect in his murder, may be present if the court grants her request to attend the burial.
