Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado At The Milimani High Court In Nairobi During Sentencing Proceedings In The Sharon Otieno Murder Case On Wednesday, September 16, 2026. 
By Fredrick Kioko,
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has urged the High Court in Nairobi to consider imposing the death penalty on former Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado and his two co-convicts, Michael Juma Oyamo and Caspal Obiero, following their conviction for the murder of university student and mother of three, Sharon Otieno, and her unborn child.
During sentencing submissions before High Court Judge Cecilia Githua, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (SADPP) Gikui Gichuhi asked the court to consider the maximum sentence provided under Section 204 of the Penal Code, citing the circumstances surrounding the murder and the individual culpability of each of the three convicted persons.
The prosecution opposed calls for a non-custodial sentence, arguing that such a punishment would not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offence or serve the objectives of punishment, denunciation and deterrence.
Gichuhi acknowledged that Sharon’s parents, Douglas Otieno and Melinda Auma, had forgiven Obado and appealed to the court for leniency. However, she told the court that while the family’s views were relevant to the sentencing process, they could not determine the sentence to be imposed.
“Reconciliation may bring peace to a family; it cannot erase the aggravating circumstances in which a life was unlawfully and deliberately taken,” Gichuhi submitted.
The prosecution further argued that Sharon’s murder was not merely a private dispute but a serious offence against the State and society. It urged the court to consider accountability, proportionality, deterrence, denunciation and public confidence in the justice system when determining the sentence.
Gichuhi said the prosecution had placed before the court the relevant legal provisions, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, victim-impact information, probation reports and broader public-interest considerations.
She urged the court to independently weigh the totality of the material before arriving at a lawful and proportionate sentence for each convict.
The High Court previously found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Obado, Oyamo and Obiero over Sharon’s murder.
Sharon, who was pregnant at the time of her death, was found murdered in September 2018 after being abducted in Nairobi. Her death sparked widespread public concern and a lengthy criminal investigation.
The sentencing proceedings have also heard emotional pleas from Sharon’s parents, who told the court that they had forgiven Obado and asked that he be spared the harshest punishment. They said their priority was the welfare of Sharon’s three surviving children.
Justice Cecilia Githua is expected to deliver the ruling on the sentence on November 27, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. The court will consider the submissions from both the prosecution and defence before determining the appropriate sentence for the three convicts.
