Former Migori Governor Zacharia Okoth Obado has been convicted of the 2018 murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.

High Court Judge Cecilia Githua found Obado, Michael Juma Oyamo and Casper Ojwang Obiero guilty on Thursday, July 23, 2026. She ruled that the prosecution proved the murder charge beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Githua said Sharon’s death was unlawful. The court relied on medical evidence showing that she died from severe blood loss caused by her injuries.

Who is Okoth Obado?

Obado is a former teacher, school principal, sugar-sector official and two-term governor of Migori County.

He served as principal of Chung’e Secondary School before entering elective politics. He later became chairman of the Kenya Sugar Board.

Obado first sought the Uriri parliamentary seat through the ODM nomination process in 2007. He later contested the 2013 Migori governor election on a People’s Democratic Party ticket.

He defeated the ODM candidate and became Migori’s first governor. His election survived a prolonged court battle that reached the Supreme Court.

Obado later joined ODM and secured a second term in 2017. He completed his tenure in 2022. He then returned to PDP and supported William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza presidential campaign.

What Justice Cecilia Githua found

Justice Githua found that Obado’s relationship with Sharon and her pregnancy formed the foundation of the events that culminated in her killing.

The court found that Obado pressured Sharon to terminate the pregnancy. It also found that he sent her KSh30,000, withdrew financial support and resumed contact after learning that she intended to disclose their relationship.

The judge rejected Obado’s defence that he was willing to support Sharon and the unborn child. She found that the evidence did not support that position.

The court also found that Oyamo acted as an intermediary. It held that a proxy was used to send Sharon transport money. The judge said the use of intermediaries was intended to conceal the identities of those involved.

Justice Githua ruled that the meeting at Graca Hotel was intended to hand Sharon over to her killers. The court found that Obado financed the operation, while Obiero facilitated the logistics.

Obado maintained that he was not present at the scene. The judge ruled that his physical absence did not remove criminal responsibility because the accused acted together with other people who were not before the court.

“It is my finding that the prosecution has proved the charge of murder against the accused persons,” Justice Githua ruled.

The conviction settles criminal responsibility at the trial level. Sentencing and any appeal are separate stages of the case.