Former Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti led the operation searching for the whereabouts of slain Dutch billionaire Tob Cohen whose rotting body was retrieved from a septic tank at his palatial house at Lower Kabete after a two-month search seven years ago.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police Beneutychus Wanjohi disclosed that Mr Kinoti camped at the residence of Cohen for two days until the body was pulled out of a septic tank constructed adjacent to Bamboo trees.
Mr Kinoti, the court heard, had hired three casual labourers to work alongside a multi-agency team of top government officers comprising pathologist, government chemist, DCI officers from the homicide unit, a prosecuting counsel from the ODPP, three defence lawyers and family members.
The ODPP officer was guiding the process of recovering the body and its preservation.
"The body was removed from a septic tank wrapped in a black bed sheet. The bed sheet was covering a yellow polythene bag where the body had been packed inside," the trial judge Diana Kavedza heard.
The judge heard Cohen had gone missing the night of July 19/20.2019 and his body was retrieved from septic tank September 13, 2019.
It was taken to Chiromo Mortuary where postmortem was done four days later-September 17,2019.
Mr Wanjohi who took videos of the recovery of the body said Mr Kinoti hired three casual laborers who descended into the septic tank using a ladder to assist in pulling out the body of Cohen.
The deceased business guru had gone missing on July 19/20, 2019 with claims that he had travelled to Thailand for medication.
The trial judge Diana Kavedza has heard that Sarah had instructed three employees of Cohen to lie that “Cohen had travelled to Thailand for medication.”
The employees who have since testified told the court that Sarah had instructed them to cheat police on the whereabouts of Cohen.
Police swung into action after the family of the deceased got concerned their kin had gone missing.
“I got a call to proceed to the residence of Cohen to cover the scene by taking videos on the recovery of the body,” Mr Wanjohi told the court.
Mr Wanjohi testified that the search lasted three days September 10,11 and 13,2019.
“Was the then director of DCI Mr Kinoti present when the body was retrieved from the tank,” lawyer Christine Kariuki teaming with Senior Counsel Pravin Bowry for Sarah asked the crime detective.
“Yes Mr Kinoti was presented. He spent two days September 11 and 13, 2019 supervising the search and recovery of the body of Cohen,” Mr Wanjohi answered.
Ms Kariuki questioned why police did not descend to the tank to retrieve the body.
In response the witness said police are at liberty to hire casual laborers to do certain jobs under the supervision of the law enforcers.
The lawyer further asked the witness whether the body of Cohen was not damaged more as it had already decomposed.
By the time of recovery, Cohen had been reported missing for two months.
Mr Wanjoh told the judge he took a total of 260 videos which he edited and compressed them into three flash disks which he produced as evidence.
The crime buster played all the videos in court.
“None of these videos has captured Sarah Wairimu Kamotho Cohen, the wife of the deceased,” Ms Kariuki asked the witness.
Mr Wanjohi said he did not take videos of the accused as he concentrated more on the recovery of the body.
He said Sarah had already been arrested and detained over the killing of Cohen.
The judge heard a multi-agency team of government officers comprising Pathologists, Government Chemistry officers, DCI officers, three defense lawyers and family members thronged the residence which later “declared a crime scene then sealed off todate.”
“When the body was recovered no single journalist was present but they came later,” the judge heard.
On September 10, 2019, 88 videos were recorded, on September 11, 2019, a total of 87 were recorded and on September 13, 2019, a total of 85 videos were recorded.
“On the third day of the intense search for Cohen, fruits were born as a black parcel was seen inside the septic tank,” Mr Wanjohi recalled.
The witness said he also watched a video of the postmortem that was conducted on September 17, 2019, at the Chiromo Funeral Home mortuary.
Sarah has denied murdering her husband Tob Cohen on the night of July 19/20, 2019, and is detained at the Langata Women's Prison after being denied bond.
The judge heard that she was returned to her residence on June 22, 2026, a return to her former palatial home which is a crime scene, two years after her re-arrest.
Cohen, who hailed from the Kingdom of Netherlands, was a wealthy businessman living in Kenya for at least 30 years, holding various positions including that of being the CEO of Philips Group of Companies (East Africa).
The judge adjourned the case to October 28-30, 2026, when she directed three prosecuting counsels - Sarah Ogweno, Peris Maina and Christine Timoi - to present 15 witnesses to testify in the case which she said needs to be fast tracked.
A total of 42 witnesses have been lined up to testify against Sarah.
Earlier, the judge confiscated a phone from a woman who alleged was a friend of Sarah for taking her photographs.
She could not explain why she was taking the photos of the judge and witness.