Former Migori governor Okoth Obado has begun his defence in the murder trial of a Rongo University student, saying he was in the process of ending an affair with her before her death.
Mr Obado, who denies killing Sharon Otieno and her unborn baby, told trial judge Justice Cecilia Githua that his affair with the student was "an open secret".
He said the affair was known to his wife, Hellen Adhiambo, his son Dan and Migori County government staff.
Mr Obado said his wife became aware of the affair in May 2018, during a devolution conference at the Acacia Hotel in Kisumu.
Ms Sharon Otieno who was killed in 2018.
Photo credit: Pool
In his affidavit, Mr Obado told Justice Githua that he had been transparent about the affair with Sharon and “had confessed to his wife and had already begun to take steps to end it before Sharon's tragic death.”
“I confessed to my wife about my affair with Sharon. I apologised to her and assured her that the relationship with Sharon was over,” Obado testified, adding that he “feels sad she died such a tragic death.”
He was led in his sworn testimony by lawyer Rodgers Sagana, who is assisted in his defence by Senior Counsel Kioko Kilukumi.
The judge heard that his wife had offered to give Sharon one of their houses, a gesture the governor rejected, insisting he had no intention of marrying a second wife.
Mr Obado recounted how he found his wife, a journalist, and a man identified as XYZ in a boardroom. He said his wife had already been told about the affair.
XYZ claimed to have received messages from the journalist, Lawrence Muller, and wanted to confirm the details.
Mr Obado said he gave Muller Sh30,000 for transport and airtime.
"My wife was in that meeting even when I gave them money. It was actually my wife who loaned me the Sh30,000, which I handed over to them," Obado said.
He added that the meeting with Muller took place at the Heron Court Hotel in Nairobi, where Muller discussed Sharon's proposal for housing assistance in either Nairobi or Kisumu.
Mr Obado said he rejected these options and instead suggested buying land in Homa Bay to build her a Sh3 million house.
"Muller told me Sharon refused the Homa Bay option and insisted on a 50 by 100 plot in Kisumu town. But I was clear—I only supported buying land in the rural area," Mr Obado testified.
He further revealed that Sharon’s pregnancy and related health issues were also discussed during the meeting, and he promised to support her through Muller. He also arranged for her to have medical insurance.
“By that time, it was no longer a secret. Social media was abuzz with the relationship, and it eventually reached my director of communications and media team,” Obado said.
His director of communications, Nicholas Anyuor, approached him for guidance on how to handle the matter, but Mr Obado said he told him it was a personal issue.
“I told him it was a private affair and not a county issue, so the media team didn’t need to intervene,” he told the court.
Mr Obado backed earlier testimony by investigating officer Chief Inspector Nicholas Ole Sena that the relationship was widely known.
“My staff knew her (Sharon). When the relationship surfaced on social media, I became worried, mostly about my wife’s reaction,” he said.
“I wasn’t too worried about it affecting my work since I was serving my final term as governor. My biggest concern was resolving things with my wife.”
He also disclosed that his firstborn son, Dan, knew about the affair even before his wife.
During a trip abroad in June 2018 for one of their children’s graduation ceremony, Mr Obado and his wife agreed that he would first speak to Dan, who would then inform the rest of the family.
“I called Dan and asked him to inform his siblings. Fortunately, he already knew about Sharon,” Obado said. “Then I introduced the topic about Sharon being pregnant. His response was that he already knew about it.”
Obado added that during a conversation with Dan, he learned that his son had been in contact with Sharon through social media.
“Dan said they knew each other through social media, and Sharon told him that she could be his mother and that she was carrying his brother. She even sent baby bump photos,” Obado testified, adding that Dan had once given Sharon a lift to Nairobi for a medical check-up.
"I did not kill Sharon Otieno. I did not conspire with my two co-accused or anyone else to kill the late Sharon Otieno. I did not procure anyone to kill the late Sharon Otieno," he stated.
"I generally feel very sad. She did not have to die. I feel sorrow for the children she left behind and for her parents. I also feel deeply saddened that my name has been tainted. I am extremely sorry that this happened, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it."
Obado said Sharon had once called him on her mother's mobile phone and he had spoken to her mother at the time.
He said Sharon's death was a great disappointment to his family, friends and supporters.
Sharon was killed in 2018 and Obado was charged with her murder, along with his aides Michael Oyamo and Casper Obiero.
