Former Migori governor Okoth Obado at the Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi on July 23, 2026/LEAH MUKANGAI
The High Court has rejected former Migori Governor Okoth Obado's claim that he had accepted Sharon Otieno's pregnancy, finding that the evidence presented during the trial painted a different picture of their relationship before her death.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Cecilia Githua said the court was not persuaded by Obado's assertion that he had accepted the pregnancy and continued supporting Sharon financially after ending their romantic relationship.
"My thorough analysis of the evidence adduced by both the prosecution and the defence shows that the first accused's claim that he had accepted the deceased's pregnancy or that he was comfortable with it was, in my considered opinion, not sincere and was not true," Justice Githua held.
The judge said the finding was informed by the evidence of prosecution witnesses, including Sharon's mother, which she noted was not expressly challenged by Obado during the trial.
According to the court, the evidence showed that Obado had exerted pressure on Sharon to terminate the pregnancy and had allegedly given her Sh30,000 for that purpose.
The judge observed that Sharon rejected the request after consulting her mother, opting instead to keep the pregnancy.
Justice Githua further found that the pregnancy was central to the chain of events that followed.
"The totality of the evidence adduced in this case shows that this particular pregnancy formed the basis of subsequent events, which culminated in the unlawful death of the deceased," she stated.
During his defence, Obado denied any involvement in Sharon's murder, telling the court that he neither killed her nor conspired with anyone to do so.
"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 the late Sharon Otieno," Obado testified.
He maintained that the killing was carried out without his knowledge or participation.
Obado, however, admitted that he had been in a romantic relationship with Sharon and acknowledged that he was responsible for her pregnancy.
He told the court that the affair was an "open secret," known to his family, Sharon's family, and staff within the Migori County Government.
While admitting he was the father of Sharon's unborn child, Obado testified that he was not willing to marry her.
He further claimed that although he had ended their relationship, he continued providing financial support for her upkeep and pregnancy.
While acknowledging that Obado did not withdraw financial support after ending the relationship, the judge said the alleged attempts to persuade Sharon to terminate the pregnancy undermined his assertion that he had accepted it.
The court held that the evidence regarding the alleged pressure to procure an abortion undermined Obado's assertion that he was comfortable with Sharon carrying the pregnancy to term.
The judge also observed that Obado admitted learning about the pregnancy in March 2018, around the same time he said he decided to end the relationship, but found that his explanation did not align with the evidence presented by the prosecution regarding his conduct thereafter.
