Nearly eight years after the killing of university student Sharon Otieno shocked Kenya, the High Court is set to deliver its verdict today Thursday in one of the country’s most closely watched murder trials.
Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his former personal assistant Michael Oyamo and former Migori County Clerk Caspal Obiero will learn whether they will be convicted or acquitted over the deaths of Sharon and her unborn child.
The judgment, to be delivered at the Milimani High Court in Nairobi, brings to a close a lengthy legal process that has drawn national attention and renewed debate about justice for victims of gender-based violence.
The three accused were charged with murder in 2018 after Sharon’s body was found in a thicket near Kodera Forest in Homa Bay County, a day after she was reported missing. The prosecution has alleged that she was abducted on September 3, 2018, before she was killed.
Earlier in the trial, the court ruled that prosecutors had established a case requiring the accused to defend themselves, paving the way for the final judgment.
Throughout the proceedings, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions presented evidence from 42 witnesses. Prosecutors relied on witness testimony alongside electronic evidence, including mobile phone records, WhatsApp messages and SMS conversations, in an effort to link the accused to the crime.
All three accused have denied the charges.
The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), which has been observing the case on behalf of Sharon’s family, said it remains confident that the court’s decision will be guided by the evidence presented during the trial.
“FIDA-Kenya is watching brief for Sharon Otieno’s family and has continued to stand with them throughout the judicial process as they seek justice for the tragic loss of their daughter and her unborn child,” the organisation said in a statement ahead of the ruling.
The case has experienced repeated delays over the years, partly because of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in court operations.
For Sharon’s family, Thursday’s judgment marks the latest chapter in a legal battle that has lasted almost a decade. Whatever the outcome, the ruling is expected to draw widespread public interest because of the case’s significance and the prominence of those involved.
FIDA-Kenya said it would issue a further statement after the court delivers its decision.
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