BY IRENE ONYANGO.
The mother of slain Rongo University student Sharon Otieno was too emotional to testify in the murder trial against former Migori governor Okoth Obado and two others.
Melinda Auma, Sharon’s mother was set to take the witness stand on Tuesday but informed trial judge Cecilia Githua that she was too emotional.
Obado has been charged together with his former aide Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero with the murder of Sharon in September 2018. The three are out on bond after denying the charges.
After failing to testify, a former Kanyandoto MCA Lawrence Mula took to the stand and narrated to the court how he met Sharon.
Mula told the court that Sharon had approached him while having tea at Grace Hill Hotel in Homa Bay town and asked for his assistance.
The witness said Sharon told him that she knew him as a famous politician, having seen him on several occasions.He said the former student then borrowed him Sh5,000 for treatment.
Mula further said Sharon asked him whether he knew any journalists as she wanted a certain story to be published.
He told the court that Sharon later told him the matter was serious as it involved Obado.
He further stated that Sharon was claiming that she was impregnated by the governor and who dumped her with no money for upkeep.
Sharon, he said, wanted to go public through the media if that could get Obado’s attention. He said he introduced her to a journalist whom they later met.
According to Mula, Sharon later forwarded to the journalists messages from both WhatsApp and SMSs, between her and Obado.
She later demanded to be given a good car, a house either in Kisumu or Nairobi costing at least 20 million and monthly maintenance.
He also informed the court that Obado felt that the demands were too high which caused a back and forth argument between Obado and the journalist.
Mula said he brokered a truce afer convincing Sharon to accept for Obado to purchase a land and build a house for her.
“After we got to the board room I kept quite because the conversation was mainly between the governor and the journalist, they talked until I realised that they were not understanding each other and that’s where I came in. After a long discussion, the governor requested me to control this matter for him because he was feeling I was more mature than those people,” he said.
Obado had then set up a meeting with Mula in Nairobi to discuss Sharon’s demands and Mula had to consult Sharon to report exactly what she wanted.
Obado later agreed to build Sharon a 3-bedroom house and furnish it properly and she had agreed to stop the threats of exposing the affair.
They allegedly agreed that the money would be sent towards the end of August 2018 as Mula started looking for a plot.
Mula was involved in the investigation of the late Sharon’s death and had been taken to custody before being released.
