NAIROBI, Kenya- The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has welcomed the conviction of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and two co-accused persons over the murder of university student Sharon Otieno.
In a statement following the High Court judgment, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it welcomed the decision finding Obado, Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero guilty of murdering Otieno.
The ODPP said the judgment represented a significant step in the pursuit of justice for Otieno and her family, adding that the conviction affirmed the role of evidence-based prosecution in securing accountability for serious crimes.
Otieno, a former Rongo University student, was abducted and killed in September 2018 after she was found missing alongside Nation journalist Barack Oduor, who survived the attack.
Her death sparked a high-profile investigation and trial that lasted several years.
Justice Cecilia Githua, who delivered the judgment, found Obado, Oyamo and Obiero guilty of murder after the prosecution presented evidence linking them to the killing.
The prosecution had argued that the three accused persons were involved in the planning and execution of Sharon’s murder.
The accused had denied the charges throughout the trial.
The ODPP thanked investigators, witnesses and all parties involved in the case, noting that the outcome demonstrated the importance of collaboration between criminal justice agencies in delivering justice.
Following the conviction, Obado and his co-accused were remanded at Kamiti Maximum Prison pending sentencing proceedings.
The murder case has remained one of Kenya’s most closely watched criminal trials, with the verdict bringing a major development nearly eight years after her death.