Sharon Otieno murder: Court sets judgement day in case against Obado
By Zipporah Ngwatu, March 18, 2026A Nairobi High Court will deliver a judgement in a murder case against the former Migori governor Zacharia Okoth Obado, his former aide Michael Oyamo and Casper Ojwang over Sharon Otieno’s death.
Lady Justice Cecilia Githua has, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, set May 29, 2026, for the judgement and noted that it will be issued in open court at the Milimani High Court.
When the matter came up for fixing the judgement date, Judge Githua stated that due to the volumes of proceedings and the many exhibits and submissions filed by the three accused persons, the court will need sufficient time to prepare the judgement.
“Given the many volumes of proceedings and the many exhibits in this matter as well as the latest submissions filed by the parties, the court will need sufficient time to prepare the judgement, and for that reason, I reserve the judgement for May 29, 2026,” Judge Githua stated.
Parties directed to attend court
Notably, she directed all the parties involved to physically attend court for the judgement at the Milimani High Court at 10:30 am.
In its final submissions, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) urged the court to jail Obado, Oyamo and Casper Ojwang, arguing that it has proved its case against the three beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to the DPP, the evidence adduced reveals that the former county boss, Obado, was the beneficiary of the actions of his personal aide, Oyamo, and Casper, the third accused, in the death of the deceased.
Further, the state cites that Oyamo and Casper were trusted operatives acting in furtherance of a common design.
“The 2nd and 3rd accused (Oyamo and Casper) were present near or at Graca Hotel on the evening of September 3, 2018, when the deceased and XYZ were abducted,” the DPP states in the submissions.
Notably, the prosecution avers that the car used in the abduction and subsequent killing of the deceased was driven by the long-time operator of KCL 481K, a vehicle owned by Casper’s wife.
Final submissions
In his final submissions, the former county chief argues that the only reason the prosecution charged him over the late Sharon Otieno’s murder was that he had impregnated her.
According to Obado, the investigating officer in the murder of Sharon clearly states that his arrest and prosecution were because he was responsible for the deceased’s pregnancy.
However, Obado avers that there is no direct evidence on the identities of the four persons responsible for the actual killing of the deceased.
He states that the prosecution relies wholly on circumstantial evidence, and none of the 42 witnesses lined up by the prosecution witnessed the actual killing, the planning and/or the financing of the crime.
In addition, he argues that the prosecution failed to adduce evidence to link him with the killers of the deceased since no evidence was ever adduced to demonstrate that he knew of a meeting at Graca Hotel, Rongo, at the material time.
“No evidence was adduced that the accused hired, procured or otherwise contracted the killers directly or indirectly. At the material time, the 1st accused’s (Obado) call data³¹ confirmed by the investigating officer shows he was in Nairobi preparing for an official journey to Rwanda,” the submission reads.