Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his former aides Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero have been found guilty of the 2018 murder of university student Sharon Otieno, bringing one of Kenya’s most closely watched murder trials to a decisive stage.

“It is therefore my finding that the prosecution has proved its case against the first, the second, and the third accused persons beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find each accused person guilty of the offense of murder,” Presiding judge Justice Cecilia Githua said.

In its judgment, the court found that Obado stood to benefit from a plot to silence Sharon because revelations concerning their relationship risked causing him public embarrassment.

“There is no doubt that the first accused [Obado] would have been the ultimate beneficiary of such a plot as he was likely to suffer public embarrassment had the story gone public,” the judge said.

The court further found that Obado used his position and influence as Migori governor to enlist the services of Oyamo, who was his trusted aide, and Obiero, who worked as a clerical officer at the county government.

According to the judge, Oyamo played a central role as an intermediary for Obado, including delivering money and communicating messages on his behalf.

“Oyamo was consistently used as an intermediary,” the court said, pointing to evidence presented during the trial on his interactions with Sharon and other witnesses.

The judge said the evidence also showed that Oyamo had embraced the role assigned to him and went beyond delivering money and messages by attempting to intimidate people with information about Sharon.

“He had also threatened two witnesses, warning them to keep all matters related to Sharon [quiet] or he would deal with them,” the judge said.

Sharon, who was a student at Rongo University, was killed in September 2018 while pregnant. Her body was found in Kodera Forest in Homa Bay County, in a case that triggered widespread public outrage and subsequently developed into a lengthy court battle.

The guilty verdict marks a major turning point in proceedings that have stretched for nearly eight years and attracted national attention because of Obado’s position as governor at the time of the killing.

Following the conviction, the prosecution asked the court to cancel the bond terms enjoyed by all three accused persons and have them remanded in custody pending sentencing.

“I am satisfied that the circumstances form a chain so complete that there is no escape that the accused persons jointly with others not before court committed the offence. The evidence irresistibly points to the fact that the accused persons with malice aforethought unlawfully caused the death of Sharon,” said Justice Githua in her judgment.

Prosecuting counsel Gikui Gichuhi also asked the court for time to prepare material that will guide the sentencing process.

Gichuhi said the prosecution needed time to obtain records relating to any previous convictions and for the preparation of pre-sentencing and victim impact reports before the court determines the appropriate punishment.

The reports are expected to provide the court with additional information on the convicted persons as well as the impact Sharon’s killing has had on her family and other victims.

The three had denied the murder charges throughout the trial.

With the court now having returned guilty verdicts against Obado, Oyamo and Obiero, attention shifts to the sentencing proceedings and the prosecution’s application to have the three held in custody in the interim.

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