By DAMARIS AWUOR: Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado returned to the Milimani High Court in Nairobi on Wednesday as the long-running murder case involving Rongo University student Sharon Otieno entered the sentencing stage.
Obado and his two co-convicts, Michael Juma Oyamo and Caspal Ajwang Obiero, are awaiting the court’s decision on the sentences to be imposed following their conviction in July.
The sentencing proceedings come nearly eight years after the murder of Sharon Otieno, who was 26 years old and seven months pregnant when she was killed in September 2018.
The case attracted widespread public attention and remained before the courts for nearly eight years.
Justice Cecilia Githua convicted Obado, Oyamo, and Obiero in July 2026 after finding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court relied on evidence presented during the lengthy trial, including witness testimony, forensic findings, mobile-phone records, and evidence concerning the movements of the accused before and after Sharon’s death.
Following their conviction, the court cancelled the trio’s bond terms and ordered that they remain in custody pending mitigation and sentencing.
The court had scheduled September 16 for the sentencing proceedings after receiving a victim-impact report detailing the effect of Sharon’s death on her family.
The court is expected to consider the report together with submissions from the prosecution and defense before determining the sentences.
Lenient sentence
Obado has previously asked the court to consider a lenient sentence.
According to his pre-sentence report, his lawyers pointed to his age, health, and the lengthy period taken by the trial.
He has maintained that he did not participate in Sharon’s killing, although he acknowledged his relationship with her.
The former governor has also expressed remorse over Sharon’s death and indicated a willingness to reconcile with her family.
Reports on the pre-sentence proceedings said Sharon’s family had told probation officers that they had no objection to a lenient sentence for Obado and had spoken of reconciliation and the financial difficulties they have experienced following her death.
Meanwhile, Sharon’s parents were present in court on Wednesday and sought an opportunity to address the judge during the sentencing proceedings.
Their lawyer told the court that they required a Luo interpreter because they do not understand English. Justice Githua subsequently adjourned the hearing to allow the judiciary to secure an interpreter.
The case dates back to September 2018, when Sharon disappeared while she was seven months pregnant. Her body was later found in Homa Bay County.
The murder investigation and subsequent trial became some of the country’s most closely followed criminal cases.
The prosecution’s case against the three accused persons was built around evidence that the court found sufficient to establish their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conviction brought the trial to an end but left sentencing as the next major stage of the proceedings.
The court will ultimately determine the sentences after considering the mitigation by the convicts, the prosecution’s submissions, and the impact of Sharon’s death on her family.
As of Wednesday, the sentencing had not been concluded because the hearing was temporarily adjourned to facilitate the participation of Sharon’s parents through a Luo interpreter.
