PUSH AND PULL

Cohen's widow accuses state of refusing her to collect clothes

Wairimu says the DPP and the DCI have been evasive to enforce the court order

In Summary

• Lawyer Philip Murgor says that the dismissive tone of the state agents' response reeks of impunity.

• He has threatened to file contempt of court proceedings against the DCI and the DPP.

DCI George Kinoti and Sarah Wairimu Cohen
DCI George Kinoti and Sarah Wairimu Cohen

Sarah Wairimu, the widow of Dutchman Tob Cohen, claims that the DCI and ODPP have disregarded orders allowing her to collect her clothes and cosmetics from the matrimonial home.

The High Court had last week allowed the widow to access her Farasi Lane home in Kitisuru to collect her clothes, make-up kit and handbags.

Her access was, however, restricted to the bedroom she was using before her arrest in connection with Cohen's murder.

Wairimu, through lawyer Philip Murgor, says that the DPP and the DCI have been evasive to enforce the order. 

The widow had pleaded with the court to be allowed to collect her clothes, claiming that she had nothing to wear. Subsequently, the court ordered the DCI agents and police officers to facilitate her request. 

In his letter of complaint, Murgor says that when his client sought the help of the DPP officials to enforce the court order, prosecutor Catherine Mwaniki responded: "No timeline given by the court."

The lawyer protests that the dismissive tone of the response reeks of impunity and that it was a perpetuation of the pattern of disobedience of court orders by government officers. 

Murgor annexed text messages allegedly from prosecutor Alex Muteti and DCI detective Maxwell Otieno "which are dismissive in tone" suggesting that they were not keen to escort Wairimu to collect her clothes. 

Murgor has threatened to file contempt of court proceedings against the DCI and the DPP. 

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