This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
On Tuesday, a sombre mood filled the Jewish Cemetery in Nairobi as Tob Cohen, a Dutch businessman, was finally interred. The burial had been postponed due to a lack of a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for the interment.
A huge turnout was reported at Cohen's interment, with local residents showing up to witness the final journey of a man they had only heard of a month ago. The Jewish men who performed the rite were a mix of those in black coats and casual shirts and jeans, all of whom bowed their heads as Cohen was laid to rest.
Among those in attendance was Sarah Wairimu, Cohen's wife, who stood accused of his murder. She was accompanied by her lawyer, Philip Murgor, who has been vocal in defending her side of the story. The presence of police officers served as a stark reminder of Wairimu's status as a murder suspect.
The mood was sombre, but the Jews played it cool, with chatter characterised by weak smiles. A black shofar was blown as an expression of extreme anguish and grief, and Cohen's body was finally buried.
Cohen, a former CEO of Philips Electronics East Africa, was reported missing from his Lower Kabete home in Nairobi between July 19 and July 20, 2019. His body was discovered in a septic tank at his home in Kitisuru, Spring Valley, Nairobi on September 13, 2019.
