Michael Oyamo, former personal assistant to ex-Migori Governor Zachariah Okoth Obado, has admitted to facilitating travel arrangements for the late Sharon Otieno just days before her tragic death.
Testifying before Justice Cecilia Githua, Oyamo stated that on August 24, 2018, he transferred KSh 22,500 to Sharon Otieno to purchase a flight ticket to Nairobi, where she was scheduled to meet with Governor Obado.
Oyamo clarified that he did not use his own M-Pesa account to send the money. He explained that although he intended to make the transfer himself, he lacked sufficient funds in his account and needed to deposit cash. However, when he attempted to do so, the M-Pesa attendant requested his national ID, which he did not have at the time.
Given the urgency, Oyamo requested an alternative method of transferring the funds without identification, but the attendant declined, citing policy restrictions. As a solution, the attendant offered to deposit the funds into her own M-Pesa account and forward the money to Sharon through a third party—referred to as XYZ—who is now a protected witness in the murder trial.
Subsequently, Sharon and XYZ traveled to Nairobi. Oyamo told the court he did not know where the two spent the night upon arrival. Another individual, Lawrence Mbula, was also meant to join them in Nairobi but missed the flight. Oyamo stated that he advised Mbula to travel independently and assured him of reimbursement. Mbula reportedly arrived in Nairobi on the same day, August 24.
According to Oyamo, the group had planned to meet with Governor Obado, who was in Nairobi for official engagements.
Background of the Case
Sharon Otieno, a third-year student at Rongo University, was brutally murdered on the night of September 3, 2018. The high-profile case led to the arrest and prosecution of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his personal assistant Michael Oyamo, and Migori County Clerk Caspal Obiero.
Following the prosecution’s case, Justice Cecilia Githua ruled that a prima facie case had been established against the three accused, requiring them to present their defense.
In his testimony, the first accused, Governor Obado, admitted to having an extramarital affair with Sharon Otieno and confirmed that he was the father of her unborn child. However, he denied any involvement in her murder, asserting that he had accepted responsibility for the pregnancy and had no reason to harm her. He also emphasized that Sharon was an adult, and their relationship did not violate any laws.
The second accused, Michael Oyamo, also distanced himself from the crime. He testified that on the night of Sharon’s murder, he met her and XYZ at a hotel to mediate a personal issue, after which he departed for Migori. He noted that Migori is in the opposite direction of Homa Bay, where Sharon and XYZ were reportedly headed.
The trial continues as the defense presents its case.
