A forensic document examiner from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has told the High Court that signatures appearing on the original will of slain Dutch businessman Tob Cohen differ from those on a printed version presented in court.
Testifying in the murder trial involving Cohen’s wife, Sarah Wairimu, DCI forensic examiner John Muinde also disputed the authenticity of letters allegedly written by the businessman seeking to withdraw an assault case against his wife.
DCI Forensic Expert Identifies Discrepancies in Tob Cohen’s Will
Muinde, the prosecution’s 27th witness, told the Kibera High Court that his examination revealed inconsistencies between the signatures on Cohen’s original will and those appearing on a printed copy reportedly held by Wairimu.
He said the questioned documents, identified as P1 and P2, were photocopies showing signs of manipulation.
“Comparison between A and B7 and P1 and P2 made the following observations. The questioned documents P1 and P2 are photocopies with evidence of manipulation on the enclosed part of the pencil,” Muinde testified.
The examiner further told the court that the questioned signatures differed from Cohen’s known signatures, with signs of tremor observed during the examination.
“Examination of P1 and P2 with known signatures of Tob Cohen and found disimilarities. There were evidence of tremor,” he submitted.
Letters Seeking Withdrawal of Assault Case Also Disputed
The forensic examiner also dismissed letters allegedly authored by Cohen and addressed to officers at Parklands and Spring Valley police stations, as well as his lawyer.
The letters reportedly sought the withdrawal of an assault case involving Wairimu.
According to the prosecution’s evidence, the documents were allegedly written after Cohen had already been killed, raising questions about their authenticity.
Former Kilimani DCIO Recounts Sarah Wairimu’s Account
The court also heard testimony from former Kilimani Deputy Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Fatuma Adi Ali, who recalled receiving reports about Cohen’s disappearance and later questioning Wairimu.
Fatuma, who now serves as DCI Director of Planning, told the court that Wairimu claimed she had shared breakfast with her husband on July 20, 2019, before he left for the airport to travel abroad.
However, Cohen was reportedly killed on the night of July 19, 2019.
According to Fatuma, Wairimu told investigators that her husband had apologised to her and promised to withdraw divorce proceedings before leaving.
“And that morning before leaving they shared breakfast and Tob Cohen apologised to her and promised to drop a divorce file. She parked and left for the airport. I asked her to share the airline but she failed to provide,” Fatuma testified.
Defence Lawyer Challenges Police Officer’s Testimony
During cross-examination, defence counsel Parvin Bowry challenged Fatuma’s account regarding two women whose phone numbers she claimed Wairimu had provided during questioning.
Bowry accused the former DCIO of falsely claiming that Wairimu had given her the contacts.
“You’re lying that the accused gave you the numbers of Cohen’s women. You did not get the number from the accused,” Bowry questioned.
Fatuma rejected the accusation, maintaining that Wairimu had shared the numbers while confiding in her.
“I’m not lying to the court. You can get intelligence from a suspect, witness. She gave me the numbers when confiding in me,” she responded.
Two More Witnesses Testify in Tob Cohen Murder Trial
Two other witnesses also appeared before the court. They included former Gigiri Sub-County Commander Richard Mwangi and former government pathologist Peter Ndegwa.
The murder trial is scheduled to continue on Thursday as the prosecution proceeds with its witnesses.
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