Former Migori governor Okoth Obado has told the High Court trying him for the murder of a Rongo University student Sharon Otieno that he had promised to fully support her as she was pregnant with his child.
Rejecting the prosecution's theory that he killed Sharon because she was pregnant, Mr Obado told Justice Cecilia Githua: "I congratulated her when she disclosed to me she was pregnant with my child.
Mr Obado, who was in the dock for the second day on Thursday (April 24, 2025), rejected the prosecution's claim that "he was uncomfortable with Sharon due to the pregnancy".
The former county boss said he had offered to spend up to Sh3 million on Sharon and her child by buying a plot of land and building her a magnificent house in Homa Bay. He had also promised to help her start a business.
Asked by defence lawyers Senior Counsel Kioko Kilukumi and Rodgers Sagana if he had ended the relationship with Sharon because he was uncomfortable with her pregnancy, Mr Obado replied: "I congratulated her on the pregnancy. I told her it was fine."
Mr Obado told the judge that Sharon had finally agreed to his proposal to buy her land and build her a house, despite her earlier preference for a property in Kisumu or Nairobi.
Ms Sharon Otieno who was killed in 2018.
Photo credit: Pool
The former governor also shared messages from Sharon dated May 18, 2018, thanking him for sending her Sh100,000, which she said was to be used for rent.
“Thank you. I got the Sh100,000 which you sent. I will arrange how to pay for the house rent tomorrow,” Sharon said in a text message to Mr Obado on May 17, 2018.
He said that although he had ended the relationship with Sharon in February/March 2018, he continued to send her money for upkeep and medical expenses.
Mr Obado added that the investigating officer, Nicholas ole Sena, had confirmed during the investigation that he (Obado) had supported Sharon financially. He relied on evidence presented in court by Mr Sena to support that claim.
The former governor is charged along with his former personal assistant, Michael Oyamo, and a former county government clerk, Casper Obiero, with murdering Sharon and her unborn baby on the night of September 3-4, 2018 in the Owade area of Rachuonyo, Homa Bay County.
Mr Obado, Mr Oyamo and Mr Obiero have denied the murder charges and are out on bond.
He testified that he did not send Oyamo or Obiero to kill Sharon because he had already taken responsibility for the pregnancy.
“I did not assign any duty or send Oyamo and Obiero to kill Sharon, since our relationship was an open secret. The affair was known to my wife Hellen Adhiambo, Sharon’s mother, and staff in the Migori County government as it had already been publicised on social media,” Mr Obado told the judge.
“I wanted to be a responsible man by buying Sharon land, building her a house, and helping her establish a business to support her and the child.”
He added that he believed the support he gave Sharon was adequate, although the amount was reduced after they broke up.
“We have decided to rest our case. We shall not call the two witnesses we had earlier indicated. They will just repeat what Obado has already told the court,” Mr Sagana told the judge.
After Obado concluded his defence, Justice Githua asked Oyamo to begin his defence, but he declined, with his lawyer Meso Ogada saying he needed time to receive further instructions.
Justice Githua adjourned the case to May 19, 2025, when Oyamo and Obiero will be put on their defence.
After the close of the prosecution’s case, Justice Githua ruled that the three had a case to answer.
However, the judge acquitted the three of the murder of Sharon’s 28-week-old foetus.
Sharon's killers had driven a sharp metal rod through her abdomen, which also pierced her unborn baby and came out through her back.
A DNA profiling report presented to the court by prosecutor Gikui Gichuhi showed that the unborn child's father was Obado.
In his defence, Obado admitted to impregnating the student. He confessed the relationship to his wife, Hellen Adhiambo, and apologised to her.
The hearing will continue on May 19, 2025.
