Sharon Otieno murder: Okoth Obado to know fate in May

 

The High Court has set May 29, 2026, as the judgment date in the murder trial of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his co-accused over the killing of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.

Trial Judge Cecilia Githua fixed the date on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, after confirming that all parties had filed their final submissions in the long-running case that has been pending in court since September 2018.

“Given the many volumes of proceedings and the many exhibits in this matter, as well as the lengthy submissions filed by the parties, the court will need sufficient time to prepare the judgment. And for that reason, I propose that I reserve the judgment until May 29, 2026,” Justice Githua ruled.

The court first confirmed the attendance of the accused persons, with all three, Obado, his former personal assistant, Michael Juma Oyamo and former Migori County Clerk Caspal Ojwang Obiero.

READ: From secret affair to murder charge: Obado's long trial over Sharon death

Oyamo, who had missed a previous court session, appeared after submitting medical documents to explain his absence.

The court noted that although the documents had not yet been placed on the file, all parties confirmed receipt, including the Office of the DPP

“I have no reason to doubt that the second accused has indeed complied with the court order to provide medical documents… The court assistant is directed to print the documents and place them on the court record,” the judge ordered.

With that issue settled, the court moved to fix a judgment date, which all parties confirmed was convenient.

The ruling will come after the close of both the prosecution and defence cases in a trial that has lasted nearly eight years and attracted national attention.

The prosecution called 42 witnesses and produced 81 exhibits, including forensic reports, cybercrime analysis and phone data, in an effort to link the accused to the murder.

Led by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gikui Gichuhi under the office of Renson Ingonga, the State argued that the evidence forms a complete chain pointing to the accused.

“The evidence paints a coherent picture of the accused acting in concert, with a shared intention to eliminate Sharon Otieno… to avoid political fallout, reputational harm, and embarrassment,” Gichuhi told the court.

 “From the start, we committed to showing the court that the evidence, like pieces of a puzzle, form a complete picture of the events that led to Sharon’s tragic death," the DPP informed the judge.

The prosecution alleged that Oyamo and Obiero acted as key operatives, including during the abduction of Otieno and a journalist at Graca Hotel in Rongo on September 3, 2018.

ALSO READ: 'Sharon was pregnant with my child but I had no reason to eliminate her'

However, the defence, led by Senior Counsel Kioko Kilukumi have argued for the court to acquit the accused person, terming the case as speculative and lacking direct evidence linking Obado to the killing.

“I did not kill Otieno. Suspicion, however strong, cannot replace proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” Obado told the court in his defence.

"Your ladyship, are you satisfied that the evidence adduced… demonstrates more than 90 per cent that the 1st accused is guilty? We submit it does not. Indeed, it does not even come near 50 per cent,” Kilukumi argued.

They also relied on testimony from a land broker and Otieno’s mother, telling the court the former governor had been supporting the deceased financially and had plans to settle her, which the defence argued weakened any alleged motive.

Otieno, a Rongo University student, was found murdered in Homa Bay County in September 2018.

A post-mortem established she died from severe haemorrhage caused by penetrating injuries, with evidence of strangulation. She was 28 weeks pregnant at the time.

The three accused persons have denied the murder charge and urged the court to acquit them.