Sharon Otieno murder: Court rejects Obado assistant's bid to present witness before his testimony
The court agreed with the prosecution and ordered Oyamo to commence his defence before calling any witnesses, as mandated by law. He was given until Wednesday at 2:30 pm to proceed.
The High Court has rejected an application by the second accused in the murder case of Sharon Otieno, Michael Oyamo, who had sought to have his witness testify before he gave his evidence.
Oyamo argued that he had not yet received a complete set of data from Safaricom and thus could not proceed with his defence.
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However, the prosecution opposed the application, stating that legal procedure requires the accused to begin with their testimony before calling any witnesses.
The court agreed with the prosecution and ordered Oyamo to commence his defence before calling any witnesses, as mandated by law. He was given until Wednesday at 2:30 pm to proceed.
“I agree with the prosecution that it is a matter of law that the accused must begin with his evidence,” ruled Justice Cecilia Githua. “I therefore decline the application. He must lay the foundation for his case, and if he chooses, he may call his witnesses afterwards to support his defence.”
The court granted Oyamo time until Wednesday to begin his defence.
Obado testimony
In April, former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, the first accused in the case, defended himself against allegations that he was involved in the murder of his lover, Sharon Otieno.
Testifying in the murder trial, Obado admitted to having been in a romantic relationship with Sharon but denied any involvement in her killing.
“I did not kill Sharon Otieno. I did not conspire with my two co-accused persons or anyone to kill the late Sharon Otieno. I did not procure anybody to kill her,” Obado stated during his testimony.
He added, “The killing, whether by my co-accused or anybody else, did not involve me.”
Obado confirmed that the relationship was widely known to both his and Sharon’s families, as well as to staff within the Migori County Government, which he led at the time.
He expressed regret over Sharon's death, describing it as a tragic and painful experience for all involved.
“I generally feel sad. She did not have to die. I feel sad for the children she left behind and for her parents. I also feel sad that it has tainted my name. I am very sorry it happened, but it has absolutely nothing to do with me,” he said.
Obado acknowledged that Sharon was pregnant with his child but added that he had no intention of marrying her.
He also testified that his wife, Hellen Adhiambo, had discovered the affair and had even attempted to catch him with Sharon during the 2018 Devolution Conference held in Kisumu.
According to Obado, on the night of May 12, 2018, at around 11 pm, his wife called to ask whether he was at Acacia Hotel (the venue of the conference) or at another hotel in the city.
“She knew I had booked Sharon into a different hotel. When she confronted me, I was shocked that she knew. I denied knowing Sharon because I had not yet disclosed the affair to her,” he told the court.
Sharon Otieno was brutally murdered in 2018 in Homa Bay County. Obado, his personal assistant Michael Oyamo, and Caspal Obiero were subsequently charged with her murder. All three have pleaded not guilty.
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