Former Migori Gov. Okoth Obado, 2 others found guilty in Sharon Otieno murder
Nearly eight years later, the High Court was set to deliver judgment on May 29, 2026, in the case against the former governor and his co-accused.
From Left: Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and Late Sharon Otieno. Photo: Courtesy.
By Sonia Mitchel
Former Migori Gov. Okoth Obado has been found guilty of the murder of university student Sharon Otieno in a landmark ruling delivered by the High Court.
Justice Cecilia Githua ruled Wednesday that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicting Obado alongside his former personal assistant Michael Oyamo and former Migori County clerk Caspal Obiero.
In her judgment, Justice Githua found that the three acted together in the commission of the crime and that the evidence presented before the court established a complete chain linking them to Sharon’s murder. The court concluded that the accused unlawfully caused her death with malice aforethought.
Sharon Otieno, a Rongo University student, was brutally killed in September 2018 while 28 weeks pregnant. A post-mortem revealed she had possibly been sexually assaulted and stabbed eight times in the neck, abdomen and back.
Nearly eight years later, the High Court was set to deliver judgment on May 29, 2026, in the case against the former governor and his co-accused. At the centre is Sharon Belyne Otieno, who was 28 weeks pregnant when she was killed alongside her unborn child.
Her death shocked the nation and attracted widespread public attention, making the case one of Kenya’s most closely followed murder trials.
The prosecution had argued the three men acted with a common intention to eliminate her and silence a protected witness to avert political embarrassment.
“The evidence demonstrates planning, facilitation, execution and cover-up,” prosecutors told the court in final submissions. They argued that Sharon’s pregnancy posed “a real and imminent threat” to Obado’s public standing.
The court heard testimony from 42 witnesses over the years, alongside forensic and circumstantial evidence, including call data, witness testimony and cybercrime reports.
The three allegedly committed the offense on the night of Sept. 3 and 4, 2018, at Owade area in Rachuonyo, Homa Bay County.
Obado, once a powerful county boss serving his second term at the time, admitted to the affair with the slain student but denied any role in the killing. “I did not kill Sharon. I did not conspire with my co-accused or anyone else,” he said in his sworn defense.
Justice Githua had earlier ruled that the trio had a case to answer and placed them on their defense, while acquitting them on the charge related to the unborn child.
Following Wednesday’s conviction, the court ordered that Obado, Oyamo and Obiero remain in custody pending sentencing. The judge directed that pre-sentence reports be prepared before a date for sentencing is set.
Under Kenyan law, a person convicted of murder faces severe penalties, including life imprisonment or death, with the court expected to determine the appropriate punishment after considering mitigation.
The verdict marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for Sharon Otieno and her family, nearly eight years after her killing sparked national outrage and demands for accountability.
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