Former Migori governor Okoth Obado found guilty of Sharon Otieno’s murder
By Zipporah Ngwatu, July 23, 2026A Milimani High Court has found former Migori Governor Zachariah Okoth Obado guilty of the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.
In a detailed judgment delivered on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Lady Justice Cecilia Githua ruled that the prosecution had proved Obado’s involvement in the killing of his former lover Sharon.
Justice Githua held that Obado had a strong motive to ensure that his illicit relationship with Sharon remained hidden from the public, making him a beneficiary of her death.
Obado was the first accused in the high-profile murder case involving Sharon, who was pregnant with his child at the time of her killing.
The High Court found Okoth Obado, Michael Oyamo, and Caspal Obiero guilty of murder.
The court has found that the evidence adduced by the prosecution against the three was overwhelming to link them to the murder.
The court noted that although none of the 42 prosecution witnesses directly witnessed the killing, the chain of circumstantial evidence irresistibly pointed to the guilt of the accused persons.
“The first accused had a strong motive to ensure that his illicit relationship was not known by the public, thus making him a beneficiary of the death of the deceased,” Judge Githua ruled.
Further, she has refused the defence by the former county chief that his relationship with the deceased rejected Obado’s was already known to his family and that it was in the public domain.
“It cannot be a mere co- incidence the first accused in his defence he said he was not worried about the illicit relationship being known since it was known to his family and the public,” Judge Githua stated.
“It can not be entirely true that the members of the public knew about his relationship with the deceased,” Justice Githua added.
In addition, Judge Githua noted that the fact that Obado gave Sharon Ksh30,000 to abort the pregnancy at first he was not comfortable with her carrying the baby.
Notably, Justice Githua has stated that the support offered by Obado after Sharon declined to terminate the pregnancy was not genuine.
She also noted that the court found out that the ex-county chief later withdrew emotionally after Sharon insisted on keeping the pregnancy.