Sharon's mother pleads with court not to release Obado

The mother of Sharon Otieno has opposed an application by the three suspects in her daughter's killing to be released on bail.

In her affidavit opposing Governor Okoth Obado’s application for bail, Melida Auma (pictured) recounted her daughter's last moments before she was abducted and killed, her affair with Mr Obado, and threats against her family.

Ms Auma said the last conversation she had with her daughter was on September 3, when Sharon called her at 7pm to say she was waiting for one of the suspects, Michael Oyamo.

“She first called me at around 5pm saying Oyamo had invited her for a meeting in Rongo that evening and that she would return home thereafter. It was the last time I spoke with her,” said Auma.

The next day, she received information from police officers in Homa Bay that her daughter had been abducted and on September 5, that Sharon's body had been found dumped in Kodera Forest in Oyugis.

Auma said in the affidavit that early this year, she noticed her daughter was pregnant. She said Sharon had disclosed that she had a relationship with Obado and that the governor was responsible for the pregnancy.

She said this was confirmed by the postmortem conducted on Sharon’s unborn baby.

“Sharon confided in me that Obado was pressurising her to abort her unborn baby against her wish. I counselled and advised her against being coerced to abort as it was morally wrong and she promised not to abort,” said Auma.

She said Obado was an influential person and would interfere with witnesses if released on bail, and put her family in danger.

The affidavit stated that a family member who attended Sharon’s postmortem was accosted by five people who wanted to abduct him but he managed to escape after being robbed of money, identity card and mobile phone.

She also narrated the ridicule she had been subjected to, allegedly by Obado's supporters, who she said carried placards with obscene words about her daughter, besides being abused and having to be escorted by police every time she went to court.

“We live in fear following the murder of Sharon. The thought that those accused of killing her can be free during trial is chilling, a situation not helped by the fact that as a family we are possible witnesses in the case.”

Justice Jessie Lesiit gave Obado, Oyamo and Caspal Obiero two days to respond to Auma’s affidavit.