High Court Finds Ex-Migori Governor Okoth Obado Guilty of Sharon Otieno’s Murder After Six-Year Trial
Former Migori Governor Zacharia Okoth Obado has been convicted of the murder of university student Sharon Otieno, bringing to a close one of Kenya’s most closely watched criminal trials.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Thursday, Lady Justice Cecilia Githua ruled that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt, finding Obado and his two co-accused guilty of murder under Section 203 of the Penal Code.
The court also convicted Obado’s former personal assistant and a former Migori County official, concluding that all three acted together in the planning, execution and concealment of Sharon’s killing.
Justice Githua said the prosecution had presented an unbroken chain of circumstantial evidence that left no reasonable doubt as to the accused persons’ guilt.
“The evidence on record irresistibly points to the fact that the accused persons, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Sharon,” the judge ruled.
She added:
“It is therefore my finding that the prosecution has proved its case against the first, second and third accused persons beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find each accused person guilty of the offence of murder contrary to Section 203 of the Penal Code.”
The judge further stated that the evidence formed a complete chain linking the three men to the crime.
“I am satisfied that the circumstances presented in this case, taken cumulatively, form a chain so complete that there is no escape from the conclusion that the accused persons, jointly with others not before the court, committed the offence.”
Court Details Roles of Each Convict
In her detailed judgment, Justice Githua outlined the role played by each of the convicted persons in what the court described as a coordinated plan to kill Sharon Otieno.
According to the court, Obado provided the motive for the crime, instigated the plot and financed the operation. The second accused was found to have facilitated the execution of the murder, while the third accused provided logistical support and helped conceal the offence to frustrate investigations.
The court concluded that the three acted in concert, with malice aforethought, ultimately leading to Sharon’s death.
Judge Rejects Bond Pending Sentencing
Following the conviction, Justice Githua rejected an application to release Obado and his co-convicts on bond pending sentencing.
Instead, she ordered that all three remain in custody for the next 21 days while the court receives mitigation before issuing its final sentence.
The decision means the former governor will remain behind bars as the court prepares to determine the appropriate punishment.
A Case That Shocked Kenya
The murder of Sharon Otieno in September 2018 sparked national outrage and dominated headlines across Kenya.
Sharon disappeared on the night of September 3 and 4, 2018, after leaving a hotel in Rongo alongside Nation Media Group journalist Barrack Oduor.
According to evidence presented during the trial, the pair were abducted by unknown assailants. Oduor managed to escape by jumping from the moving vehicle, while Sharon was taken away.
Her body was later discovered near Kodera Forest in Uriri, Homa Bay County.
A post-mortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor concluded that she died from strangulation and severe bleeding caused by multiple stab wounds.
The gruesome killing triggered a multi-agency investigation that eventually led detectives to senior officials within the Migori County Government.
Obado was arrested later that month and appeared before the High Court on September 24, 2018, alongside his co-accused. All three denied the charges at the time.
42 Witnesses Testified
During the lengthy proceedings, the prosecution called 42 witnesses and relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including forensic findings, mobile phone records, witness testimony and analysis of the movements of the accused before and after the murder.
After reviewing the evidence in its entirety, the High Court ruled that the prosecution had established a complete chain of events proving beyond reasonable doubt that the three men jointly caused Sharon Otieno’s death with malice aforethought.
The guilty verdict marks one of the most significant criminal convictions involving a former senior public official in Kenya in recent years, with sentencing expected after mitigation proceedings.
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