On Thursday, the long-awaited judgment will be delivered in the murder trial of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, marking the culmination of nearly eight years of investigations and legal proceedings stemming from the tragic 2018 murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.
The High Court will assess whether the prosecution has convincingly demonstrated, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Obado, his former personal assistant Michael Oyamo, and former Migori County clerk Caspal Obiero were involved in Sharon’s murder.
This case dates back to the harrowing night of September 3-4, 2018, when Sharon, who was approximately seven months pregnant, was allegedly abducted alongside Nation Media Group journalist Barrack Oduor after they departed from a hotel in Rongo.
Oduor reportedly escaped by leaping from the moving vehicle, while Sharon’s lifeless body was later discovered near Kodera Forest in Uriri, Homa Bay County.
Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor determined that Sharon’s death resulted from strangulation and significant blood loss due to stab wounds.
This tragic incident sparked nationwide outrage, leading to a comprehensive multi-agency investigation that quickly zeroed in on senior officials in Migori County.
Obado first appeared before the High Court on September 24, 2018, facing charges of murdering Sharon and her unborn child alongside Oyamo and Obiero. All three defendants denied the allegations.
After spending a month in remand, the former governor secured his release on bond, with the murder trial officially commencing in July 2021 following numerous pre-trial motions and delays.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution built an extensive circumstantial case, calling upon 42 witnesses to illustrate that Obado orchestrated Sharon’s murder to conceal their relationship and her pregnancy.
Prosecutors presented witness testimonies, mobile phone records, forensic evidence, and the movements of the accused both before and after the murder, arguing that the cumulative evidence indicated a coordinated plan that led to Sharon’s death. They urged the court to convict all three defendants.
In contrast, the defense consistently refuted these claims. Obado asserted that he neither participated in nor plotted Sharon’s murder, maintaining that he was at former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s residence on the day of the crime. He contended that investigators targeted him due to public pressure stemming from the case’s high-profile nature and emphasized his full cooperation with law enforcement throughout the investigation.
The defense team also challenged the prosecution’s reliance on circumstantial evidence, arguing that it did not meet the standard of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
A significant turning point occurred in January 2025 when trial Judge Cecilia Githua ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case regarding Sharon’s murder, compelling Obado and his co-defendants to present their defense. However, the judge determined that there was insufficient evidence to require them to defend against the separate charge concerning the murder of Sharon’s unborn child.
The defense concluded its case earlier this year, and both sides subsequently submitted extensive written arguments.
In March, Justice Githua initially scheduled the judgment for May 29, acknowledging that the substantial proceedings and exhibits necessitated considerable time for thorough analysis prior to reaching a verdict. The judgment was later postponed to July 23.
