Governor Obado's aide to be detained till Monday

Michael Oyamo Migori county PA (in black directly behind lady in white ) during a past event last year with Governor Zachary Obado at St Joseph Ombo Mission Hospital. Oyamo has been detained by police till Monday as investigations into the murder of Sharon Otieno continues. [Photo: Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s Personal Assistant Michael Juma Oyamo who is at the centre of abduction and murder of a University student will wait until next Monday to know whether or not he could be freed on bail.

This came after police in Homa Bay County secured a court order allowing them to detain Oyamo at Homa Bay Police Station to help them conduct further investigations.

Police sources handling the investigations told the Standard that they were dealing with a complex case even as the three more suspects- the driver of the saloon car used in the abduction and the two kidnappers remained at-large. 

The vehicle has also not been recovered, amid hope Mr Oyamo would help them track down the suspects.

A senior  police officer said  they had  made  good  progress  in their investigations but could not  provide details on whether they had  interrogated  other people  other than Mr  Oyamo.

On Wednesday evening, the CID officers, briefly presented Mr Oyamo before a Homa Bay court, late on Wednesday evening where they sought the orders to continue holding him.

Oyamo was arrested after being implicated in abduction of Nation journalist Barack Oduor and Sharon Beryne Otieno in Rongo town on Monday night.

Sharon was pursuing diploma in Medical Records and Information at Rongo University in Migori.

However, Sharon was found dead near Wire Forest in Homa Bay County on Tuesday evening. Nobody saw her after being abducted until her body was found damped near the forest.

Police in Homa Bay went to court to seek a court order to allow them to continue detaining Oyamo.

In an affidavit sworn by Hassan Siyad, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Department, Oyamo was accused of murdering or causing the murder of Sharon.

“I believe Oyamo and other suspects involved in the abduction and murder have intentions which could be a threat to national security and public tranquility,” said Siyad.

The investigator said the matter was too complex hence they could not complete the investigations within 24 hours after his arrest on Tuesday.

He was presenting the application to abide by the law which requires that a suspect should not be detained in police cells beyond 24 hours after.

He therefore appealed to the court to allow them detain Oyamo for 14 days.

“I notify this court of the arrest and due to technicalities involved in the investigations, I pray to the court that he be detained at Homa Bay Police Station for 14 days to enable us complete the investigations,” Siyad added.

 Homa Bay Deputy Registrar Lester Simiyu granted police more time to continue detaining Oyamo for investigations.

However, she gave them until Monday return him to court. On Monday, Oyamo can either be released or charged over the offenses.