A Kenyan court has found former Migori County Governor Okoth Obado guilty of murdering Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old pregnant university student whose killing shocked the country and sparked nationwide outrage over violence against women.
Justice Cecilia Githua ruled on Thursday that Obado masterminded the 2018 murder, saying he planned and financed the crime. The judge also convicted his former personal assistant, Michael Oyamo, and former county clerk, Caspal Obiero, for their roles in carrying out and covering up the killing. The three remain in custody as they await sentencing.
According to the court, Obado arranged the murder after becoming unhappy with Otieno’s pregnancy. The judge said Oyamo helped execute the plan, while Obiero provided logistical support and helped conceal the crime.
Otieno’s body was discovered in a thicket near a small town in western Kenya in September 2018. Investigators said she had suffered multiple stab wounds, while evidence presented during the investigation also suggested she may have been sexually assaulted before her death.
The case drew widespread attention after journalist Barack Oduor revealed that Otieno had contacted him shortly before her disappearance over concerns linked to her relationship with the then-governor. Oduor said the pair were abducted together, but he managed to escape from the vehicle before Otieno was killed. His testimony later became a key part of the investigation.
Prosecutors also relied on vehicle tracking records, which showed that the tracking device in the suspects’ vehicle was switched off on the day of the abduction and reactivated the following day, a move investigators described as an attempt to hide the vehicle’s movements.
Throughout the trial, Obado denied involvement in the killing. However, after hearing evidence from 42 prosecution witnesses, the court concluded that the three men had acted together to orchestrate Otieno’s murder.
The victim’s family welcomed the verdict, saying justice had finally been served.
Otieno’s death became one of Kenya’s most high-profile murder cases and reignited debate about gender-based violence. According to a 2022 national survey, 34% of women in Kenya reported experiencing physical violence, highlighting the scale of the issue.