Nairobi News

A sister to slain Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen, Gabrielle Van Straten, has been accused of plotting to kill his brother to inherit his multi-million estate at the expense of the deceased’s wife Sarah Wairimu.

The claim was made by senior counsel Phillip Murgor appearing for Wairimu during a heated and emotional cross-examination of a case in which the deceased’s Will has been disputed.

Gabrielle denied before Justice Mugure Thande she hatched a plot to kill Cohen whose decomposed remains were recovered from a septic tank at his Kitsuru residence in Nairobi.

“Are you not the single biggest beneficiary of your brother’s estate having been allocated 50 per cent in his Will?” posed Murgor.

Murgor added: “Then are you also not the one with the biggest motive in the murder of your brother?”

“If that’s how you state, let it be so. Am sorry. It hurts me to say I am the biggest beneficiary of my brothers death,” She answered saying , “she had nothing to do with his death.”

Murgor , a former director of public prosecutions (DPP), went on to bombard her with questions accusing her of keeping away Sarah Wairimu from the estate of his late brother.

“I have noticed your singular motive to keep away Sarah. You objected to his release on bond in the murder case.”

Gabrielle answered in the affirmative.

“You even opposed her from taking her clothes from the house under police guard and objected taking her inner-wears and combs for her hair.”

He accused Gabrielle of not taking a neutral position between Sarah and her late husband.

The court also heard that Gabrielle organized with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to have his phone and those of judges handling the Cohen case be tapped.

The lawyer accused the deceased sister of embarking on a mission to bring down judges and the DPP Noordin Haji for allegedly not doing justice to Cohen.

“I put it to you that you have embarked on a mission to bring down judges in your obsession to get Tob Cohens property,” Murgor

“That’s not true,” Gabrielle

Murgor went on to accuse her of attempting to press for a forgery case against him for alleging the Will read out by Kirundi had been forged.”

“Emmanuel Kenga, a DCI officer had been coerced to record a statement that I (murgor) had altered the Will before it was opened and read by Kirundi,” Murgot told judge.

Gabrielle was on her second day of testifying in the succession case of Cohen’s property.

At that juncture lawyer Danstan Omari for the family of the Cohen told the judge “Murgor is a suspect for forgery in the lower court.”

Referring to an affidavit sworn January 2022 by Gabrielle the lawyer asked her whether she was speaking the truth before the judge.

Gabrielle stated she is a witness of truth.

She said she called for the removal of DPP for failing to prosecute Murgor over forgery of the Will.

But an adamant Murgor presented her with Will read by Kirundi to point out where he forged it.

The already emotionally charged Gabrielle only scratched her head then Murgor asked if her mind was normal.

Gabrielle admitted she called for the removal of the DPP for failing to prosecute Mr Murgor over alleged forgery of the last Will of Cohen of 2019.

A warrant of arrest had been issued against Murgor to be charged over the allegations that the Will read to the family of the slain Dutch tycoon had been forged.

Police had summoned Murgor to record a statement about his allegations that the Will left behind by Cohen with Kirundi was a forgery.

DCI implored the DPP to reign on the same to stop it.

In the Kirundi Will Cohen had allocated 50 per cent of his estate to Gabrielle, 25 per cent to her (gabrielle) son Seth and 25 per cent to her elder brother’s daughter, Sharon.

She was also awarded all money in Kenyan and overseas banks.