Obado’s PA denies boarding same vehicle with Sharon during her murder
Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s Personal Assistant (PA), Michael Oyamo, has told the court that he did not board the same car with Sharon Otieno and journalist XYZ.
During a defence hearing at the Milimani High Court, Oyamo said that on September 3, 2018, after they had a meeting to resolve the welfare money issue, he escorted the two to the Gracia hotel parking where a taxi was waiting for them.
“My lady, at the parking at the exit gate of the parking, there was one vehicle, a Toyota Wish model, black in colour, and when we got there, XYZ led us to the vehicle which they were to use to go back to Homabay,” Oyamo told the court.
According to Oyamo, XYZ opened the rear door and entered the car, and before Sharon could enter, he held his hand and gave her the Ksh50,000 balance he had been left with, and they left for Homabay.
Used motorcycle
He then turned to the hotel watchman, enquiring whether he could get a taxi to Migori, and in his response, the watchman told him he could only get a motorbike that would take him to Rongo, where he could get a taxi.
The watchman then flagged a motorbike for him, which took him to Rongo town, where he got a taxi, which took him back to Migori. That night, Oyamo was to rest at his home before embarking on an official trip to Rwanda with the Governor on September 4, 2018.
“When I got to Migori, I passed by the Governor’s official residence, picked up some things that were meant for the trip, then spent the night at my home,” Oyamo narrated to the court.
Cross-examining Oyamo, his lawyer, Ogada Meso, asked him why he did not board the same taxi with Sharon and XYZ, and in his response, he said that they were heading in different directions, he to Migori and they to Homabay.
Refutes witness account
Oyamo also refuted a testimony given by XYZ, that on the material day after their meeting, he had told them to get into the black car parked at the hotel because it was his.
In his testimony, XYZ told the court that Oyamo also sat on the front passenger seat, a statement the PA said was not true.
Oyamo also refuted prosecution witness Jackson Gombe’s statement that he found him at Olivia Oloo’s home, who was the wife of the third accused in the murder case, Casper Ojwang Obiero.
Gombe had told the court that on September 3, 2018, he found Casper, Oyamo and Diki at Olivia’s home, a statement the PA strongly denied, stating that, in the morning hours of the said day, he was at the Governor’s residence at Rapogi, in Uriri Sub-County.
The defence hearing was adjourned until Friday, May 22, 2025, at 9 am.
