FAKED ABDUCTION

Obado aide planned Sharon's murder, witness tells court

Investigator says suspect lured Sharon and a journalist to a car around Graca Hotel in Rongo

In Summary

• Nicholas Ole Sena told trial Judge Cecilia that he didn't do cell phone triangulation for people who were with Sharon on the night she was murdered because they already had a suspect, Oyamo. 

• "The person who had planned all this was Oyamo. The other two people involved in this had no phones," he said.

Suspects Michael Oyamo, Caspal Obiero and Governor Okoth Obado in court
APPREHENSIVE: Suspects Michael Oyamo, Caspal Obiero and Governor Okoth Obado in court
Image: FILE

The lead investigator in the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno on Thursday said former Migori Governor Okoth Obado's aide Michael Oyamo planned the events leading to her death.

Nicholas Ole Sena told trial Judge Cecilia Githua that he didn't do cell phone triangulation for the people who were with Sharon on the night she was murdered because they already had a suspect, Oyamo. 

"The person who had planned all this was Oyamo. The other two people involved in this had no phones," he said.

From their investigations, they established that on the fateful day Oyamo lured Sharon and a journalist, who was under witness protection, to a car that was waiting for them 300 metres from Graca Hotel in Rongo after a brief meeting.

The journalist, who managed to escape out of the moving vehicle, made his report that the investigators largely relied on in charging the accused persons.

The evidence of the journalist and the taxi driver named Oyamo.

Ole Sena further confirmed to the court that Oyamo had falsified medical reports from Kisii hospital to support his abduction theory on the night Sharon was killed.

He had made a report at Uriri police station claiming that he was a victim of abduction on the night of September 3.

His report to the police was that his assailants had knives but did not use them and that he found himself in the streets of Kisii the following morning.

He was taken to hospital by members of the public.  

A medic, who testified in the case, confessed to having forged medical records for Oyamo to lie that he had been attacked by unknown people on the night Sharon was murdered. 

But even as the investigator gave his evidence in court, Oyamo through his lawyer Meso Ogada took issue with the inconsistencies of two crucial prosecution witnesses.

The two are  Jackson Gombe, a taxi driver who allegedly ferried Sharon to Kodera forest where she met her death, and the journalist.

One of the inconsistencies pointed out by Ogada was that the journalist said when they left Graca Hotel, Oyamo boarded the vehicle but the taxi driver on the other hand said Oyamo did not.

Asked which report he believed to be true, Ole Sena said, "Both".

Another discrepancy was that the journalist in his evidence said Oyamo was on the phone throughout but Gombe said Oyamo was quiet. 

Gombe was the prosecution's 38th witness. When he gave his evidence, he told the court that he would not believe his own evidence because of the contradictions.

He had written two statements detailing what transpired on the night of September 3, 2018. In addition, Ole Sena told the court that the condoms found at the scene of crime were analysed and found the semen to be of unknown male.

They however did not forensically analyse the car that was allegedly used in the abduction and subsequent murder of Sharon. 

Obado, Oyamo and Caspal Obiero are being tried for the murder of Sharon and her unborn baby that took place on September 3, 2018 Homa Bay county. 

On Wednesday the lead investigator told the court that Obado was at Railas Odinga's residence in Karen and not at the scene of the murder of Sharon Otieno in Homa Bay as was initially believed.

He said initial reports that Obado was at the scene were untrue.

He confirmed to trial Judge Githua that he was in Karen from 5pm to 9pm. Ole Sena also said they have no evidence that Obado was involved, had knowledge or consent of Sharon's abduction.

There was also no evidence either that Obado was involved in the abduction of the journalist, who was in the company of Sharon on the night she met her death.

"The investigation was that the deceased was abducted then killed. We don't have any knowledge or evidence that he participated in the killing of the deceased. ," the investigator said.

From his evidence before court, Ole Sena told Justice Githua that during investigations, they were able to establish that  Obado had taken responsibility for the pregnancy.

The case was adjourned to May 31 when the officer is expected to conclude his testimony.

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