Former Kenyan governor and two co-accused convicted of his pregnant girlfriend’s murder

Former governor of Migori, Kenya, Okoth Obado, his former personal assistant and one other have been found guilty of m8rdering his pregnant girlfriend, Sharon Otieno. 

The judgment, delivered on Thursday, July 23, 2026 by the Criminal Division of the High Court at Milimani, brings to a close a high-profile m8rder trial that has gripped the country for more than seven years.

Sharon, a 26-year-old university student, was abducted, r@ped and k!lled while 28 weeks pregnant in September 2018.

While reading her decision, Justice Cecilia Githua said the evidence irresistibly points to the fact that the accused persons, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the d3ath of Sharon.

“It’s therefore my finding that the prosecution has proved its case against the first (Obado), the second, and the third accused persons beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find each accused person guilty of the offence of murder,” she said.

Obado was convicted along with his former aides Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero.

The judge delivered the long-awaited judgment after hearing testimony from 42 prosecution witnesses, considering 81 exhibits and receiving final submissions from both the prosecution and the defence.

They were charged with the m8rder of Sharon, who was k!lled on September 3 and 4, 2018, in Owade, Homa Bay County.

The court said Obado supplied motive, instigation and funds to finance the k!lling, while Obiero assured logistical support and concealment to avoid detection of the offence.

The court rejected Obado’s claim that he had accepted the pregnancy and continued supporting Sharon financially.

Justice Githua found that although Obado admitted learning of the pregnancy in March 2018, he became evasive, withdrew financial support and sought to prevent the affair from becoming public.

“It cannot be a coincidence that he developed concern when publication emerged. Obado clearly wanted to contain it from the scope it had reached,” the court observed.

The court found that Sharon had repeatedly demanded that Obado publicly acknowledge the pregnancy and provide her with a house, a car and employment, failure to which she would expose the relationship.

“I am persuaded to agree with the prosecution that the money given to Sharon through XYZ and Oyamo was not genuinely intended for her wellbeing, but to manage or make Sharon abandon her bid to make the relationship public, as they devised a scheme to eliminate her,” she ruled.

Evidence from Sharon’s close friend, identified as PW30, showed that Obado had urged Sharon to terminate the pregnancy, giving her Sh30,000 for an abortion and directing her to deal with Oyamo on all matters relating to the pregnancy.

The witness also testified that Sharon played her audio recordings of conversations with Obado in which he pleaded with her not to publish their photographs on social media and repeatedly urged her to procure an abortion because “time was running out.”

The court also relied on testimony from family friend Lawrence, who attempted to mediate between the two after Obado admitted knowing about the pregnancy.

According to the evidence, Obado promised to buy Sharon land and build her a house if she abandoned plans to expose the affair.

But the court ruled that the promises were merely a scheme to buy time as he schemed on how to eliminate her.

Following the conviction, the prosecution successfully applied for the convicted persons to remain in custody pending sentencing. 

The prosecution submitted that, having been convicted of a capital offence, the three posed a flight risk and should not be released on bail or bond before sentencing.

The court allowed the application and ordered that Zacharia Okoth Obado, Michael Juma Oyamo and Casper Ojwang Obiero remain in custody until sentencing, scheduled for 18th August 2026.