Governor Obado’s PA Michael Oyamo pleads not guilty to murder charges

Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s personal assistant Michael Oyamo before the court.

Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s personal assistant Michael Oyamo has been charged with the murder of pregnant university student Sharon Otieno.

Oyamo, before Justice Lessy Lessit at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on Wednesday, denied the charges just like his boss Governor Obado.

He had been detained at Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi for the past 14 days as the police dug deeper into the gruesome murder of Sharon, whom the Governor admitted was his girlfriend.

The prosecution led by Jacob Ondari accused Oyamo of luring Sharon Otieno from her parents’ home in Homa Bay to Rongo, Migori, from where she was eventually handed over to killers.

"The accused person played a key role in the planning and eventual execution of the deceased and her unborn child," said the officer.

Police say Oyamo is one of the key suspects in the abduction of journalist Barack Oduor and the murder of Ms Otieno.

The Defence has asked the court to release Oyamo on bail but the prosecution wants the Governor’s PA denied bail as he is the main suspect in the murder case.

The court adjourned the case to October 8 and directed police to detain Oyamo.

His boss Governor Obado was arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday to face murder charges. He pleaded not guilty. Court ordered that he be remanded at Industrial Area Prison and ruled that his bail application be heard Thursday afternoon.

Ms Otieno and Nation reporter Barack Odour were kidnapped on September 3 in Homa Bay while meeting a story source who is identified as Oyamo.  Odour escaped from the abductors by jumping out of a moving vehicle at Nyangweso Market along the Homa Bay-Kisumu road.

Governor Obado is the fifth suspect, including his personal assistant Michael Oyamo, bodyguard Elvis Omondi and a clerk in the county, Caspal Obiero, who are in police custody.