JUSTICE AT LAST! OBADO GUILTY IN SHARON OTIENO MURDER CASE: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

In a landmark ruling that has gripped Kenya for nearly eight years, the High Court of Kenya (Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi) on July 23, 2026, found former Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado, his former personal assistant Michael Juma Oyamo, and former county clerk Caspal Ojwang Obiero guilty of the 2018 murder of Rongo University student Sharon Belyne Otieno.

Justice Cecilia Githua delivered the judgment, ruling that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court found that the trio acted in concert to orchestrate the killing of the 26-year-old expectant mother, with whom Obado had an affair. DNA evidence confirmed Obado as the father of the unborn child, and the court established motive linked to Sharon’s refusal to terminate the pregnancy and threats to expose the relationship.

Following the conviction, Justice Githua cancelled their bond terms and remanded the three in custody. Pre-sentence reports and victim impact statements have been ordered, with the matter mentioned on August 18, 2026, ahead of sentencing.

Kenya’s legal framework for murder convictions no longer imposes a mandatory death sentence. Judges now have discretion to consider mitigating and aggravating factors. Possible outcomes for Obado and his co-accused range from life imprisonment to a lengthy term of years.

The court will review pre-sentence reports from probation services, victim impact statements from Sharon’s family, mitigation arguments from the defence (which may include Obado’s age, health, previous character, and family circumstances), and aggravating factors such as the premeditated nature of the crime.

Obado’s legal team is expected to appeal the conviction and any sentence handed down. In Kenya, a person convicted in the High Court has the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal on grounds of law, fact, or mixed law and fact. Appeals must generally be filed promptly, and the process can take one to three years or longer. If unsuccessful at the Court of Appeal, a further appeal may lie to the Supreme Court on constitutional or significant public interest grounds.

While appeals are pending, Obado will likely remain in custody unless he successfully seeks bail pending appeal — a high bar in murder convictions. Defence lawyer Cliff Ombeta has already questioned aspects of the judgment, signalling a vigorous challenge ahead.

A murder conviction will significantly damage Obado’s public standing and any future political ambitions. Women’s rights groups and Sharon’s family have welcomed the verdict as a strong message that no one is above the law, particularly in cases involving gender-based violence and abuse of power.

The case has been one of Kenya’s most high-profile trials, highlighting issues of accountability for the powerful and the protection of young women. For Sharon’s family, it marks the end of a painful wait; for Obado, it is the beginning of what could be years more in the legal system. As the nation awaits sentencing and the inevitable appeals, the ruling stands as a reminder that justice, though delayed, can prevail in Kenya’s courts.