Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his former personal assistant Michael Oyamo, and Casper Obiero have been found guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Sharon Otieno. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, July 23, 2026, by the Criminal Division of the High Court at Milimani, ending a high-profile trial that has gripped Kenya for more than seven years.
Details of the Crime
Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old university student, was abducted, raped, and killed while 28 weeks pregnant in September 2018. Justice Cecilia Githua ruled that the evidence irresistibly pointed to the fact that the accused persons, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused Sharon's death.
“It’s therefore my finding that the prosecution has proved its case against the first (Obado), the second, and the third accused persons beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find each accused person guilty of the offence of murder,” she said.
Trial and Evidence
The judge delivered the long-awaited judgment after hearing testimony from 42 prosecution witnesses, considering 81 exhibits, and receiving final submissions from both the prosecution and the defence. The three were charged with murdering Sharon on September 3 and 4, 2018, in Owade, Homa Bay County.
The court found that Obado supplied motive, instigation, and funds to finance the killing, while Obiero assured logistical support and concealment to avoid detection. The court rejected Obado’s claim that he had accepted the pregnancy and continued supporting Sharon financially.
Motive and Scheme
Justice Githua noted that although Obado admitted learning of the pregnancy in March 2018, he became evasive, withdrew financial support, and sought to prevent the affair from becoming public. “It cannot be a coincidence that he developed concern when publication emerged. Obado clearly wanted to contain it from the scope it had reached,” the court observed.
The court found that Sharon had repeatedly demanded that Obado publicly acknowledge the pregnancy and provide her with a house, a car, and employment, failing which she would expose the relationship. “I am persuaded to agree with the prosecution that the money given to Sharon through XYZ and Oyamo was not genuinely intended for her wellbeing, but to manage or make Sharon abandon her bid to make the relationship public, as they devised a scheme to eliminate her,” the judge ruled.
Key Testimonies
Evidence from Sharon’s close friend, identified as PW30, showed that Obado had urged Sharon to terminate the pregnancy, giving her 30,000 Kenyan shillings for an abortion and directing her to deal with Oyamo on all matters relating to the pregnancy. The witness also testified that Sharon played audio recordings of conversations with Obado in which he pleaded with her not to publish their photographs on social media and repeatedly urged her to procure an abortion because “time was running out.”
The court also relied on testimony from family friend Lawrence, who attempted to mediate between the two after Obado admitted knowing about the pregnancy. According to the evidence, Obado promised to buy Sharon land and build her a house if she abandoned plans to expose the affair. But the court ruled that the promises were merely a scheme to buy time as he schemed on how to eliminate her.
Post-Conviction Proceedings
Following the conviction, the prosecution successfully applied for the convicted persons to remain in custody pending sentencing. The prosecution submitted that, having been convicted of a capital offence, the three posed a flight risk and should not be released on bail or bond before sentencing. The court allowed the application and ordered that Zacharia Okoth Obado, Michael Juma Oyamo, and Casper Ojwang Obiero remain in custody until sentencing, scheduled for August 18, 2026.
