Cohen murder: Second suspect Karanja remanded as Sarah Wairimu takes plea

Sarah Wairimu pleaded not guilty in the Tob Cohen murder case as another suspect Peter Njoroge Karanja was remanded on Thursday.

The High Court in Nairobi ruled that Wairimu remain in custody until the bail hearing for Friday.

Karanja, who had appeared for the first time in court, was told that he would be remanded at the Industrial Area Prison.

The court further directed that the officer in charge to escort him to Mathare Hospital on Tuesday for mental assessment.

His lawyer had earlier pleaded for his release saying he required urgent medical attention.

“Our client is sick. His blood sugar has gone to critical levels …we are asking as he continues to stay in police custody that he be taken to his personal doctor at Aga Khan Hospital on a daily basis. This is because on Friday he had a terrible condition which we had to seek the intervention of the DCI to have him taken to the hospital,” the lawyer said.

The advocate revealed that Karanja had been in police custody for 24 days during which a custodial order was issued by Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo.

He further argued that Karanja should not be remanded as he requires a ‘special diet.’

However, the court noted that the suspect would no longer be in police custody but in prison where there is a clinic.

Justice Stella Mutuku ordered that he be taken to the Kenyatta National Hospital for any medical emergency.

Meanwhile, lawyer Philip Murgor will continue representing Wairimu after the court noted that he resigned as is no longer a Prosecutor.

“No person should be forced to remain in office ..his resignation was immediate after issuing the letter to the appointing authority. He is properly before this court and his representation does not have any conflict of interest,” Justice Mutuku ruled.

The Prosecution then opposed Murgor’s plea for bail saying they cannot release witness statements as they will be exposing identities.

They sought five days to liaise with the Witness Protection Agency.

Murgor responded saying: “We have no objection to them withholding the statements until redaction is done ….but that’s not the reason to postpone the bail application.”

The court set the bail application hearing for Friday, October 4.