A 2018 condolence message by former Migori Governor Okoth Obado has resurfaced online, a day after the High Court found him guilty of the murder of Sharon Otieno, reigniting debate over the long-running case.
In the statement issued after Otieno’s killing in September 2018, Obado expressed sympathy with the victim’s family, describing the murder as “shocking, brutal and a sign of heartlessness in our society.”
He strongly condemned the killing and called for calm among his supporters in Migori County.
“At the time, Obado also distanced himself from the crime, stating that his name had been ‘falsely mentioned’ and that his account had already been recorded with the police,” the post reads.
He further urged political leaders not to politicise the matter and appealed for patience as investigators handled the case.
The message, now widely circulating on social media, has drawn renewed scrutiny following Thursday’s ruling in which the High Court convicted Obado alongside his former personal assistant Michael Oyamo and county official Caspal Obiero.
The court found that the three acted in coordination in the abduction and killing of Otieno, a 26-year-old Rongo University student who was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.
According to the judgment, the prosecution established a consistent chain of circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the crime.
The court also determined that Obado had a motive tied to a concealed relationship with the victim and her pregnancy, concluding that the murder was planned and executed with malice aforethought.
Otieno was abducted alongside a journalist in Homa Bay County before her body was later discovered in Kodera Forest. Post-mortem findings indicated she had been stabbed and strangled.
The resurfaced statement has sparked mixed reactions, with some Kenyans pointing to the contrast between Obado’s initial public stance and the court’s final determination.
Others have cautioned against online speculation, noting that the case has now been conclusively addressed through the judicial process.
The conviction marks a significant development in a case that has remained in the public spotlight for nearly eight years.
Attention now shifts to the sentencing phase, where the court is expected to determine the penalties for the three convicts under Kenyan law.