Obado: I did not kill Sharon Otieno, I told my wife, son about my affair with her

Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado has admitted to having had an affair with the late university student Sharon Otieno, stating that their relationship was an “open secret” known within the Migori County Government and among his family members.

While appearing before Justice Cecilia Githua at the Milimani High Court, where he is defending himself in the ongoing murder trial, Obado told the court he had impregnated Sharon but had no intentions of marrying her.

“The relationship between Sharon and me was an open secret, and staff within the Migori County Government were aware of the affair,” he said.

Obado further revealed that his wife, Hellen Adhiambo, discovered the affair in May 2018 during a Devolution Conference held at the Acacia Hotel in Kisumu. He recounted a tense phone call from his wife around 11 pm on May 12, 2018, where she questioned whether he was at the hotel or had checked into another one with Sharon.

Although he denied staying at the same hotel, he admitted to paying for Sharon’s accommodation elsewhere in Kisumu. His wife, he said, had been tipped off by anonymous callers about the affair.

“I had not yet disclosed to my wife that there was another lady in my life. When she brought it up, I was surprised she knew.”

Eventually, Obado said, he came clean. “I decided to open up that I truly had an affair with Sharon, and I apologised. I will not state the exact words I used,” he said.

He said his wife mocked him, even telling him to bring Sharon into their home. However, he assured her that the relationship had ended and acknowledged responsibility for Sharon’s pregnancy.

“By that time, it was no longer a secret. Social media was abuzz with the relationship, and it eventually reached my Director of Communication and media team,” Obado said.

His Director of Communication, Nicholas Anyur, approached him for guidance on how to handle the matter, but Obado told him it was a personal issue.

“I told him it was a private affair and not a county issue, so the media team didn’t need to intervene,” he told the court.

Obado supported earlier testimony by investigating officer Chief Inspector Nicholas Ole Sena that the relationship was widely known.

“My staff knew her (Sharon). When the relationship surfaced on social media, I became worried, mostly about my wife’s reaction,” he said.

“I wasn’t too worried about it affecting my work since I was serving my final term as governor. My biggest concern was resolving things with my wife, Hellen Adhiambo.”

He also disclosed that his firstborn son, Dan, knew about the affair even before his wife did. “Even before my wife discovered Sharon’s existence, Dan already knew about her,” he said.

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During a trip abroad in June 2018 for one of their children’s graduations, Obado and his wife agreed that he would first speak to Dan, who would then inform the rest of the family.

“I called Dan and asked him to inform his siblings. Fortunately, he already knew about Sharon,” Obado said.

“Then I introduced the topic about Sharon being pregnant. His response was that he already knew about it.”

Obado added that during a conversation with Dan, he learnt that his son had been in contact with Sharon via social media.

“Dan said they knew each other through social media, and Sharon told him that she could be his mother, and that she was carrying his brother. She even sent baby bump photos,” Obado testified, adding that Dan had once given Sharon a lift to Nairobi for a medical check-up.

The former governor also detailed a private boardroom meeting in which he found his wife, a journalist, and a man identified as Lawrence Muller. His wife had been briefed on the affair by then, and the meeting was aimed at confirming the details.

Obado said his wife stepped out briefly to make tea, giving Muller and the journalist time to explain why they had come to see him.

“My wife was in that meeting, even when I gave them money. It was my wife who loaned me the Sh30,000 I handed over to them,” he told the court.

In a separate meeting with Muller at the Heron Court Hotel in Nairobi, Sharon’s housing request was discussed. Obado said Sharon had asked for help getting a house in either Nairobi or Kisumu, but he rejected those options. Instead, he proposed buying land in Homa Bay and building a house worth Sh3 million.

“Muller told me Sharon refused the Homa Bay option and insisted on a 50 by 100 plot in Kisumu town. But I was clear—I only supported buying land in the rural area,” Obado said.

He also stated that he had promised to support Sharon during her pregnancy and even arranged for her to receive medical coverage. According to him, Sharon had agreed to move into a rental house while waiting for construction to begin, a plan she was comfortable with.

'I did not kill her'

Obado also denied killing Sharon. "I did not kill Sharon Otieno. I did not conspire with my two co-accused or anyone else to kill the late Sharon Otieno. I did not procure anyone to kill the late Sharon Otieno," stated Obado.

"The killing, whether by my co-accused or anyone else, did not involve me."

Obado made these remarks during his defence hearing before Lady Justice Cecilia Githua.

He said he was saddened by the manner in which Sharon died. The former governor confirmed he had been in a relationship with Sharon and that her parents were aware.

Obado said Sharon had once called him using her mother's mobile phone, and he spoke to her mother at the time.

The former governor said Sharon’s death has been a great disappointment to his family, friends, and supporters.

"I communicated with one of her parents during the time we were in a relationship. Her mother knew about us," he said.

"I generally feel very sad. She did not have to die. I feel sorrow for the children she left behind and for her parents. I also feel deeply saddened that my name has been tainted. I am extremely sorry that this happened, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Sharon was murdered in 2018, and Obado was charged with her murder alongside his aide, Michael Oyamo and Casper Obiero. They all denied the charges but were found to have a case to answer and were placed on their defence.

Obado will be on the stand for three days beginning today.