The father of slain university student Sharon Otieno has told the High Court that he would not oppose a non-custodial sentence for former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, saying the convicted former governor had shown remorse and reached out to the family through relatives seeking reconciliation.
Douglas Zachariah Otieno made the remarks during the sentencing proceedings, saying he had remained silent about his daughter’s death for nine years but had decided to speak because of the significance of the day.
“I thank the court for granting me the opportunity today to speak about my daughter’s death in this court. For nine years I haven’t talked about it,” Otieno said.
He said Obado had sent relatives to his home to seek reconciliation, which prompted him to address the court in relation to the former governor.
“He sent his relatives to my home for a reconciliation. That is why I have come down to this end to talk to him. If the court agrees for non-custodial, that will be okay with me because he is remorseful,” he said.
However, Otieno expressed strong anger towards Obado’s co-convicts, Michael Juma Oyamo and Caspal Ojwang Obiero.
He said his feelings towards the two remained particularly bitter because, in his view, they were among the last people seen with his daughter before her death.
“But I am too bitter today seeing Oyamo and Caspal, since they were last seen with my daughter until she was killed,” he told the court.
In an emotional statement, Otieno used graphic imagery to describe the depth of his anger towards the two men.
“If I could be a dog today, I could bite them and lick their blood the same way dogs licked my daughter’s blood,” he said.
Otieno further told the court that, unlike Obado, he did not believe Oyamo and Obiero had shown remorse towards the family.
“The two aren’t remorseful up to this time,” he said.
The High Court convicted Obado, Oyamo and Obiero of Sharon Otieno’s murder on July 23, 2026, after Justice Cecilia Githua found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
