Okoth Obado, Two Others Found Guilty Of Sharon Otieno Murder
News Updated: 23 July 2026 19:31 EAT
Photo courtesy
Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his two co-accused, Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero, have been found guilty of murdering Rongo University student Sharon Otieno in a case that has attracted national attention since 2018.
Justice Cecilia Githua of the High Court in Nairobi ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the three accused persons were involved in Sharon’s killing.
The case began in September 2018 after Sharon Otieno, then a 26-year-old student, was abducted alongside journalist Barrack Oduor from a hotel in Rongo. Oduor escaped from the abductors, while Sharon was later found dead in Kodera Forest, Homa Bay County.
At the time of her death, Sharon was seven months pregnant. A post-mortem examination revealed that she died from injuries caused by multiple stab wounds and strangulation.
Obado, who was the sitting Migori Governor when the murder happened, was arrested and charged alongside Oyamo, his former personal assistant, and Obiero, a former Migori County official.
The prosecution told the court that Sharon’s murder was planned and executed after disagreements linked to her relationship with Obado and her pregnancy.
The prosecution relied on witness testimonies, mobile phone records, forensic evidence and other circumstantial evidence to demonstrate the involvement of the three accused persons.
A key witness in the case was journalist Barrack Oduor, who testified about the events leading to the abduction and Sharon’s disappearance.
The court found that Obado’s relationship with Sharon and the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy provided a motive for the crime.
Justice Githua ruled that although Obado was not at the scene of the murder, the evidence showed he played a role in the events that led to Sharon’s death.
The judge found that Oyamo acted as a link between Obado and Sharon and was involved in activities that contributed to the execution of the crime.
Obiero was also found to have participated in the events surrounding the murder and worked together with the other accused persons.
The court concluded that the three acted with a common intention to commit the offence and were therefore jointly responsible for Sharon’s death.
The accused persons had denied the murder charges throughout the trial, arguing that the prosecution had relied on circumstantial evidence that did not directly connect them to the killing.
The High Court had earlier ruled that the prosecution had established a case requiring the accused persons to defend themselves before the final judgment was delivered.
The trial, which lasted nearly eight years, became one of Kenya’s most closely followed criminal cases because it involved a sitting governor and allegations of a politically connected murder.
Following the conviction, the court cancelled the accused persons’ bond terms and ordered that they remain in custody pending sentencing.
The case will now proceed to the sentencing stage, where the court will determine the punishment to be imposed after considering submissions from both the prosecution and defence.
Tags: Signs Signs Media Signs Media Kenya Limited Signs Tv Signsmedia Signst Signstv SignsTV Signstvkenya Signsv Ssignstv Article Article 145 Deaths Edit Editor's Pick High Court Law Court News Article Okoth Obado Rest In Peace Sharon Atieno
Share this article
FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD