Cohen to be buried in private Jewish ceremony

Former CEO of Philips Electronics East Africa Tob Cohen will be buried on Monday/today at the Jewish Cemetery on Nairobi’s Wangari Mathai Road.

Lawyers from both sides of the family agreed that Cohen will be buried in a private ceremony at 2pm. 

Last week on Thursday, Cohen's lawyer Cliff Ombeta and his widow Sarah Wairimu's lawyer Philip Murgor, said Wairimu and Cohen's sister Gabrielle Van Straten will be present at the burial.

Burial rites will be conducted in accordance with Jewish custom by community leaders.

Wairimu, who was arrested days after Cohen's disappearance, is being detained at the Lang’ata Women’s Prison.

The Dutch tycoon disappeared on July 19. Eight weeks later on September 13, his body was found in an empty water tank at his Kitusuru home in Spring Valley, Nairobi.

It was reported that the last time Cohen was seen in public, he had been dropped off at a club in Westlands after he left his house. That was the day he is believed to have disappeared.

DCI George Kinoti said that when they found Cohen's body he was bound at the legs, hands and neck. He also said the body was wrapped in layers of clothing. 

A postmortem performed last Tuesday revealed the painful death the former Phillips CEO suffered an the hands of his killers. 

It revealed by a dutch newspaper that his killers smashed his skull, broke his back, dislocated his left leg, broke his arms and hands as he desperately fought them off. 

Last week on Friday, the Dutchman's contested will was opened at the office of lawyer Chege Kirundi, who was the custodian. A close member of Cohen’s family told the Star that the deceased did not leave any of his property or money to his widow Sarah.

Instead, Cohen left his Sh400 million matrimonial home, that has been the centre of a dispute, to his sister Gabrielle. 

Also, 50 per cent of his estate was willed to Gabrielle, 25 per cent to her two daughters and another 25 per cent to his elder brother Bernard Cohen. 

The lawyer said that the will was recorded at his office at Bruce House Nairobi in his presence. Kirundi did not disclose the contents.

However, at the time of the opening, Wairimu's lawyer Philip Murgor was not present and said they cannot contest something they have not yet seen. He said his client contests the legitimacy of the will.

Edited by R.Wamochie