Migori governor Okoth Obado admitted to the police on Tuesday he had a relationship with murdered Rongo University student Sharon Otieno and that the pregnancy was his.
According to police officers who have seen his statement, the governor reportedly said he had told Sharon to keep the pregnancy and was ready to take care of her and the baby.
Sharon, according to the police, had even asked to be bought a house in Nairobi. But the governor was ready to buy land or a house for her in Rongo.
Sharon's family has previously said Obado had a sexual relationship with their daughter, who was found dead in Kodera Forest last Wednesday.
The seven-month pregnant woman had been raped and stabbed eight times: thrice in the neck, four times in the back and on the left side of her abdomen.
Yesterday, Obado, called a media conference in Nairobi where he once again denied any involvement in the murder of Sharon. He was flanked by his wife Hellen, daughter Evaline and son Jerry.
"I ask all agencies involved to speed up investigations so the killers are brought to book as quickly as possible," he said in his short address to journalists. He did not take questions.
On Tuesday, Obado's lawyer Cliff Ombeta confirmed that his client had a love affair with Sharon.
"When the photos were circulating in social media long before this, it was not a secret even the people in the county knew about it...there was a relationship," he said.
Speaking to KTN news on Wednesday, Ombeta said Obado's relationship was on and they cannot refute the claims.
"It is a normal thing for people to have a moment of weakness but speaking of murder no," he said.
The revelations emerged on the day the court in Nairobi ruled that Michael Oyamo, the personal assistant to Obado, be charged with the murder of Sharon Otieno after two weeks.
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High Court judge Luka Kimaru who read out the murder charge to Oyamo directed him not to plead to the charge because investigations had not been completed.
“You shall or may be charged with murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code of the laws of Kenya,” he said.
“The particulars of the offence are that between 3rd and 4th September 2018 at Owande area, Rachuonyo South subcounty within Homa Bay county jointly with others not before court, you murdered Sharon Beryline Otieno. So that is for your information.”
He also ordered Oyamo be detained at the Muthaiga police station to enable police complete investigations, which detectives say are complex.
“Due to the multifaceted and complex nature of the investigation that involves many suspects and many leads, it is only fair that the subject continue to be detained for a further period of 14 days. He shall be detained at the Muthaiga police station. During his detention, his rights and fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed by the Constitution shall be protected.”
Sharon was abducted alongside Nation reporter Barrack Oduor while in the company of Oyamo who left them with the attackers. But the reporter freed himself and fled.
Yesterday Obado, dressed in a navy blue suit, light blue shirt with a matching shirt, strolled calmly to the press briefing at Nairobi's Serena hotel with his guards keeping an eye on the battery of journalists.
“We have come here as a family that has been devastated, ridiculed and embarrassed by the sad news of the demise of Sharon. We are indeed at our very lowest moment in life. Hata usingizi hakuna, hata appetite hakuna [loosely translated as, ‘We have lost sleep and appetite’],” Obado said in his first media conference since the Sharon’s death.
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Sending condolences to the friends and family of the deceased, Obado denied involvement in the murder that has seen so far his aide charged afresh in Nairobi and held in remand for fourteen more days.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), I recorded a statement in Kisumu with the DCIO. I would like to say here that I am still ready and willing to give further statements so that real killers of Sharon can be brought to book,” he said.
“As a law abiding citizen, I have nothing, and absolutely nothing, to do with the cruel death of Sharon,” he added.
The governor called on politicians and media to stop what he termed as medieval punishment, urging them to let the investigative agencies to do their job.
“I thank people of Migori, my supporters and the general electorate and all well wishers who have been with me in prayers. I call on them to continue praying for me in all endeavors. I urge all investigating agencies to speed up their work so as real killers of Sharon can be brought to book as fast as possible,” he said.
Attempts by journalists to know why Obado had taken long to speak, what relationship he had with the deceased, why police had interest in him and what link the aide had in the murder or on whose behalf he was acting, were thwarted by his lawyer Ombeta.
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