Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s aide was in a love relationship with his boss’ girlfriend, Sharon Otieno, and they had a disagreement prior to her death, a court heard on Thursday.
The aide, Mr Michael Juma Oyamo, told police that he had impregnated Sharon and she was demanding Sh600,000 to furnish her house and Sh240,000 monthly upkeep.
A prosecution witness, Police Constable Howard Omwoha, narrated a Milimani Commercial Court, Nairobi that Mr Oyamo claimed responsibility for the pregnancy and the love affair at Uriri Police Station on September 4, 2018, a day after Sharon was kidnapped and killed.
Mr Oyamo volunteered the information before being arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of the former Rongo university student.
Mr Oyamo had gone to the police station to report that he had been kidnapped the previous day at Rongo town by unknown people, who dumped him in Kisii town. He introduced himself to the police as the personal assistant to governor Obado.
Justice Cecilia Githua heard that Mr Oyamo was kidnapped while leaving Graca Hotel in Rongo town on September 3, 2018 where he was meeting Sharon to solve their love relationship differences.
On arrival at Graca, the court heard that Mr Oyamo found Sharon alongside another man, who is a protected witness in the murder case, having drinks. He was not comfortable with the venue and they decided to change and move to Treat House Hotel.
Before leaving, Mr Oyamo gave Sharon Sh100,000 to clear the bill, narrated the officer.
“Mr Oyamo told me that the previous night –September 3, 2018- at around 8pm he was abducted by three men who went with him and he found himself in Kisii town the following day. Since it was a serious matter I sought to know how it happened,” said Mr Omwoha.
The officer was testifying in a case where governor Obado, Mr Oyamo and county government clerk Casper Obiero are charged with the murder of Sharon and her unborn baby.
The student was killed on the night of September 3, 2018, and prosecutors believe Mr Oyamo was one of the masterminds of her murder and that of her unborn baby.
Differences with the woman
“Mr Oyamo told me he went to Rongo to meet his girlfriend at Treat House. Later the girlfriend called and said they meet at Graca Hotel. He said the girlfriend was Sharon,” the witness continued with his evidence.
In his report to the officer, Mr Oyamo stated that he had differences with the woman and wanted to solve them that night.
“As a matter of concern I wanted to know the problem for record purposes. He said she was pregnant for him and wanted Sh600,000 to furnish the house and a total sum of Sh240,000 for monthly upkeep,” said Mr Omwoha.
At Graca Hotel, the man accompanying Sharon called a taxi which arrived with three men on board. Nevertheless they all boarded the Probox car and Mr Oyamo occupied the rear seat.
But after driving for about 200 metres, the car pulled off on the left side of the road and Mr Oyamo was ordered by the three men to alight and board another car that was behind them make, Toyota Axio.
At the Axio car he found three men who placed him at the middle and drove on a rough road towards Kisii while the Probox car carrying Sharon and others drove towards Homa Bay.
“He told me the men (in the Axio car) had sharp knives and were torturing him demanding a sum of Sh1.5 million. While on the way, he fell unconscious and did not know what transpired until he found himself the following morning at a street in Kisii town. He said he was taken to hospital by members of the public. He did not name the hospital,” said the officer.
Mr Oyamo also claimed that he had lost Sh270,000 and a Techno Camon mobile phone in Kisii.
The witness said the alleged kidnap was fake. Hearing resumes on July 28, 2022.
