Court Sets September Date for Obado Murder Sentencing
The High Court in Nairobi has fixed September 16 as the earliest date for the sentencing hearing of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his two co-accused after their conviction in the long-running murder case of university student Sharon Otieno.
The decision follows the submission of a detailed victim impact statement from the young woman’s family, who described years of emotional and financial hardship since her death in September 2018. All three men remain in custody as the court prepares to hear final arguments on mitigation and possible penalties.
Sharon’s relatives told the court they have struggled to meet everyday needs for her children, now aged between nine and twelve, as well as for her siblings and aging parents. They estimated spending more than one million shillings attending court sessions and over three million on funeral costs, forcing them to sell a family plot of land and a cow simply to keep going. The family, already of limited means, said the violent circumstances of the loss have left lasting scars and asked the court to order compensation while imposing a fitting punishment.
Obado, now sixty-four and held at a maximum-security facility, continues to deny any role in the killing and attributes the case to political schemes meant to damage his reputation. He has expressed willingness to reconcile with the bereaved family and pleaded for a non-custodial sentence, citing his age, health and the many years the matter has taken to reach this stage. His former personal assistant, Michael Juma Oyamo, voiced regret over misplaced loyalty that led him into the situation, while the third accused, Caspal Ajwang Obiero, also denied direct involvement yet acknowledged the pain caused to Sharon’s loved ones.
Community reports presented to the court portrayed all three men in a positive light, noting their past contributions to local development and church life, and indicated readiness to welcome them back if non-custodial options are considered. Sharon’s mother, however, questioned why outreach for reconciliation only emerged after the conviction and stressed that while forgiveness has been granted, the court must still deliver justice for the offence. The prosecution and defence have been directed to file written submissions on sentencing within a short window so that the hearing can proceed as scheduled.
The case has drawn sustained public attention because Sharon was seven months pregnant and studying for a diploma in medical records when her life ended. With the sentencing date now confirmed, the court is expected to weigh the family’s plea for both financial relief and meaningful accountability against the accused men’s requests for leniency, bringing a decisive chapter to a matter that has stretched across nearly eight years in the country’s legal system.
