Sharon Otieno murder case: Judge kicks out lawyer Wajackoyah
Migori Governor Okoth Obado (right) and his co-accused Michael Oyamo (centre) and Casper Obiero before Justice Grace Ngenye Macharia at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi, on December 2, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Governor Obado claimed George Wajackoyah obtained confidential information from him.
The High Court has blocked lawyer George Wajackoyah from representing the family of Sharon Otieno in her murder case.
Justice Ngenye Macharia ruled that Prof Wajackoyah has a conflict interest.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado, who is charged alongside two others with the murder of Rongo University student and her unborn child, accused Prof Wajackoyah of representing two parties whose positions are conflicting.
The governor claimed Prof Wajackoyah obtained confidential information from him at the time he was being detained in a police station, yet when they went to court, he acted for the family of the deceased.
The court heard that, on September 23, 2018, when Obado was in police custody at Gigiri Police Station, Prof Wajackoyah sought and obtained instructions from the governor.
The lawyer persuaded him to share correspondence between the DPP, the DCI and himself.
The court further heard that he convinced the governor that he was doing consultancy work for the DPP as well the DCI and that he had been granted a clearance to represent him in the case at the time.
Delivering the ruling Wednesday, the judge said the lawyer is conflicted and could use private undisclosed information he may be having about Obado to torment him hence deny him a fair trial.
Justice Macharia asked the family of the victim to find another lawyer.
