Obado and Co-Accused Found Guilty of Murdering Sharon Otieno

Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his co-accused have been found guilty of murdering Rongo University student Sharon Otieno, who was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.

The High Court on Thursday, July 23, delivered its long-awaited judgment in the murder case involving former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his two former aides over the 2018 killing of Sharon Otieno, bringing to an end one of Kenya’s most closely watched criminal trials.

Justice Cecilia Githua delivered the judgment at the Milimani High Court, nearly eight years after the case began following the murder of Otieno, a Rongo University student who was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.

The court claimed the former Migori Governor had a strong motive to kill Sharon to save himself from public embarrassment and his political career.

“I am persuaded by the prosecution that former Migori Governor Okoth Obado had a very strong motive to kill the deceased to avoid public embarrassment and protect his political career.” Justice Cecilia Githua stated.

The court heard that when Obado learned Sharon was pregnant, he initially accepted the pregnancy and offered financial assistance, which she declined.

Justice Githua further stated that although the former governor did not attend the meeting, he was aware of and behind a plan hatched with colleagues to lure Sharon to Graca Hotel as part of a trap.

The judge also agreed with the prosecution that money sent to Sharon through intermediaries was “not genuinely intended for her well-being but to manage or make Sharon abandon her bid to make the relationship public, as they devised a scheme to eliminate her.”

On a finding of premeditation, Justice Githua observed that the second accused “obtained an Airtel line with the specific intent to hide from the deceased the emanation of telephone calls” between himself and the deceased.

Also Read: UHC Staff Left Stranded as Governors Reject Payroll Transfer Until Funding Dispute Is Resolved

Murder Case Against Obado, Oyamo, and Obiero Proceeds to Defense as Court Finds Sufficient Evidence

She further observed that the fact that the line was obtained fraudulently for the express purpose of exclusive communication between Sharon and the accused led her to the inescapable conclusion that the line was obtained in furtherance of the commission of the offense.

In an earlier ruling, Justice Githua determined that the prosecution had established a case of murder against all three accused persons and directed them to defend themselves.

The court thus determined that there was evidence that the State had adduced that would require Obado, Oyamo and Obiero to enter their defences before a decision on the case could be reached.

The case against the accused was supported by the evidence of 42 witnesses and the analysis of phone calls, forensic evidence, money and computerized data, including text messages and WhatsApp conversations.

It was claimed that this evidence connected the defendant to the crime.

Also Read: Gachagua Reveals How He Gets Govt Information, Claims to Have Support Within NIS and NPS

The Court Found Obado Guilty of the Murder of Sharon Otieno

Obado, who defended himself during the defense case, asked the court to acquit him, arguing that the prosecution had failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

“The prosecution has failed to prove its case against me beyond reasonable doubt,” Obado stated.

In the defense case through his defense lawyers, the former governor argued that the evidence presented was largely circumstantial and did not directly link him to the murder.

The Court found the 3 guilty of murder; Obado was charged with funding the execution of Sharon, and his two colleagues were charged with facilitating the execution and concealment to avoid detection of the incident.

Sharon Otieno was a Rongo University student who was abducted on September 3, 2018, and her body was found the next day in Homa Bay County.

She was seven months pregnant by the time she was murdered, and her murder attracted a lot of public attention.

The Investigation team led by Inspector Mary stated they recovered several items, including clothes, open shoes which belonged to Sharon, 2 used condoms, and 3 packs of condoms.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for instant news updates.

Sharon Otieno was a Rongo University student who was abducted on 3rd September 2018, and her body was found the next day in Homa Bay County. Court Delivers Ruling in Murder Case Involving Obado. Credits Nation Africa