DNK International By Our Reporter,Nairobi.
The High Court has set May 29, 2026, as the date for judgment in the murder case facing former Migori Governor Zacharia Okoth Obado and his two co-accused over the 2018 killing of university student Sharon Otieno.
This follows a mention before Justice Cecilia Githua, where the court confirmed the timeline for the long-awaited ruling.
In final submissions, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions urged the court to find Obado, Michael Juma Oyamo, and Casper Ojwang Obiero guilty, arguing that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gikui Gichuhi told the court that the evidence points to a “carefully orchestrated plot” involving the three accused.
“The totality of the evidence fits together seamlessly,” Gichuhi submitted. “It forms a single, coherent picture pointing to the guilt of the accused persons.”
She argued that the trio acted in concert with a common intention to eliminate Sharon Otieno and silence a key witness to avoid political and personal repercussions.
According to the prosecution, witness testimonies, call data records, cybercrime analysis, and forensic findings all placed the accused persons at the centre of the crime.
The court heard that on the night of September 3, 2018, Sharon and a prosecution witness were abducted from Graca Hotel. Oyamo and Obiero were allegedly present and played active roles in facilitating the abduction.
Investigators linked the vehicle used in the incident — registration number KCL 418K — to Obiero’s family, stating it was registered in his wife’s name and driven by an associate of the accused.
Gichuhi dismissed the defence case as inconsistent and lacking credibility.
“The defence case is contradictory, implausible, and an afterthought designed to escape liability,” she told the court, adding that it failed to raise any reasonable doubt.
Obado, Oyamo, and Obiero are jointly charged with murder, and the court has previously ruled that they have a case to answer.
The High Court is expected to issue further directions ahead of the judgment, with the final verdict now slated for May 29.
[DNK-International@March 18,2026]
