Tob Cohen amended will three times to exclude Sarah Wairimu, court told

Testifying for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, Kirundi told the court that Cohen had instructed him to revise his will, removing Wairimu as a beneficiary and naming his sister, Gabriella, and her son in her place.

The estate included the couple's palatial home in Kitisuru.

Under the first will, Cohen had named Wairimu and their daughter as beneficiaries of his estate. However, the businessman later changed his instructions, replacing them with his sister and her children.

Responding to questions from defence lawyer Parvin Bowry on the number of wills he had prepared, Kirundi maintained that he had drafted three versions over the years.

He further told the court that Cohen never remained without a valid will after revoking an earlier version, as he would immediately issue fresh instructions for another one to be prepared.

The defence, however, challenged Kirundi's testimony, questioning the whereabouts of the first two versions and accusing him of contradicting himself by making confidential details of the will public.

In a separate development, the authenticity of Cohen's will came under scrutiny after lawyer Joseph Ndirangu Maina, the 27th prosecution witness, told the court that the document presented after the businessman's murder was forged.

Maina disowned the signature attributed to him on the document, arguing that the photocopy presented in court could not have been made from the original.

"Photocopy could not have been made from the original. I therefore denounced the copy. The signature in it is not mine," he testified.

Former Gigiri Sub-county Police Commander Richard Mwangi also took the stand, recounting previous assault reports involving the couple.

Mwangi told the court that Wairimu had contacted him claiming Cohen had travelled abroad for medical treatment. She also reportedly told him that the businessman had developed a mental disorder.

"I later read in the papers of Tob Cohen's disappearance. Days later, Sarah Wairimu Cohen called me, telling me that Tob Cohen had travelled abroad for medication. She also told me that Cohen had developed a mental disorder," Mwangi testified.

The proceedings have brought renewed attention to the troubled marriage, allegations of assault and the changes Cohen made to his will before his death.

Four more witnesses are expected to testify in the case on Wednesday.