Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his two co-accused will return to the High Court on November 27, 2026, for sentencing following their conviction over the killing of university student Sharon Otieno.
Obado will be sentenced alongside Michael Juma Oyamo and Caspal Ojwang Obiero after the court completed the mitigation stage and heard submissions from both the defence and prosecution.
Sharon’s family also addressed the court, with her parents asking the judge to consider a less punitive approach towards Obado.
Her father, Douglas Zachariah Otieno, told the court that the family had continued to have a cordial relationship with the former governor and that Obado had attempted to seek forgiveness through relatives.
Otieno, who spoke publicly about his daughter’s death for the first time in nine years, said Obado’s expression of remorse had shaped the family’s position on sentencing.
The family indicated that it would accept a non-custodial punishment if the court found such an option appropriate.
The prosecution took a different position, telling the court that while the views of Sharon’s parents were relevant, they could not by themselves determine the sentence.
State counsel asked the court to take into account the circumstances under which Sharon was killed, arguing that the evidence pointed to planning and coordination between the three convicted men.
Prosecutors submitted that the men had different roles but acted towards a common objective. They also highlighted their connections to Sharon and their status as public employees among the circumstances the court should consider.
The State further argued that there was nothing before the court suggesting Sharon had provoked the incident or acted in self-defence.
On their previous records, the prosecution acknowledged that the three men could be treated as first offenders but argued that this should be weighed alongside the seriousness and circumstances of the offence.
Justice Cecilia Githua will now consider the mitigation, the prosecution’s submissions and the impact of Sharon’s death on her family before determining the appropriate sentences.
Sharon was killed in September 2018 while seven months pregnant. She was 26 years old and pursuing a diploma in Medical Records at Rongo University.
Obado, Oyamo and Obiero were found guilty of murder on July 23, 2026, after the High Court determined that the prosecution had established its case against the three beyond reasonable doubt.
The November 27 hearing will therefore determine the punishment to be imposed on each of the three men following their convictions.
