Police widen scope in search for killers of Sharon Otieno

The search for three killers of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno has spread to Nairobi.

Detectives believe the suspects are hiding either in Mathare slums or Kayole.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has piled pressure on police to trace and arrest the hit men.

“I have directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to ensure the hit men and other persons who have been adversely mentioned in this matter are pursued and arrested,” he said.

Police believe the three hit men rode in the same car with Sharon together with Nation journalist Barack Oduor before the latter jumped out.

A team of senior prosecutors is handling the case.

Yesterday, Migori Governor Okoth Obado denied charges of murder in Sharon's killing and was remanded at the Industrial Area Prisons ahead of bail application hearing today.

Sketchy information

Detectives investigating the September 3 killing say they have sketchy information on the whereabouts of the three hit men.

Part of the information was divulged by Jackson Otieno Gombe, the driver of the car that was used in the abduction of Sharon from Rongo to Kodera Forest, where her body was found hours later.

It is believed Gombe described the three wanted men to detectives, and that his testimony helped police crack the case.

The driver of the dark grey Toyota Fielder told police the car was a taxi in Migori town and was registered under Olivia Oloo Adhiambo, an employee at the local county.

Olivia is the wife to Caspal Ojwang' Obiero, one of the aides to the governor.

Investigations established that on the day of the murder, the car’s tracking system had been deactivated. It was reactivated the following day.

“This clearly was a well calculated move by the killers to conceal the movement of the vehicle in question,” said the DPP.

The DPP said an intimate relationship existed between Obado and the slain student, which led to a pregnancy and subsequent murder.

He argued that persons featuring in the matter were either employees of the county government or close acquaintances of the governor, and possibly assigned to handle the matter carefully to avoid public ridicule and political backlash.

“Sharon and her unborn baby lost their lives in a gruesome and horrifying manner in the hands of her killers. My office is therefore committed to ensuring all perpetrators of the heinous act are brought to book and subjected to the due process of the law,” he said.

The State is set to use Gombe as a prosecution witness.

Obado's PA, Michael Oyamo is set to take plea for murder tomorrow, while Obiero will take a plea of aiding and abetting the commission of murder.