Sarah Wairimu faces further delay in bail hearing
Courts
By
Fred Kagonye
| Nov 15, 2025
Sarah Wairimu will have to wait longer to secure a hearing date at the Court of Appeal, where she is challenging a High Court decision that denied her bail three times in a murder trial.
She approached the appellate court to contest rulings by Justice Diana Kavedza of Kibera High Court.
Her case was scheduled for November 17, but has since been removed from the cause list, with no new date communicated.
Wairimu faces charges over the murder of her late husband, Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen, on July 19, 2019 in Lower Kabete, Nairobi. Cohen’s body was discovered in a septic tank days after he went missing. After denying the charges in court, Wairimu’s legal team applied for bail, which was refused.
Justice Kavedza ruled that protected witnesses were yet to testify and alleged that Wairimu had threatened two of them. “I find merit in the averments that the witnesses have been threatened and fear for their lives,” the judge stated.
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In her second bail application, Wairimu argued that the witnesses had already testified and there was no justification to continue holding her. The prosecution, led by Vincent Monda, opposed the application, citing her as a flight risk and a potential risk for crime scene tampering.
The judge denied the request, noting that the court only opened the door for reconsideration if compelling circumstances were demonstrated. She ordered Wairimu to remain in Lang’ata Women’s Prison until her legal team, led by Conrad Maloba, could show a change in circumstances.
In her third attempt, Wairimu’s team again argued that the protected witnesses had testified, and there was no reason for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to oppose her release.
The application was rejected.
A key factor in the refusal was an allegation that Wairimu had intimidated Corporal Pascal Buana, an investigating officer. The officer testified that she had whispered “shame on you” three times during proceedings. “If the accused can intimidate an armed officer in open court, what might she do outside, where the court has no eyes or ears?” the judge posed.
Previously, Wairimu had been ordered to apologise to the court through a sworn affidavit, which she complied with.