Former Governor Okoth Obado Admitted Affair with Sharon Otieno to His Wife

Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado has made headlines once again as he took the stand in the ongoing murder trial of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno. On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Obado admitted to the Milimani High Court that he had confessed to his wife, Hellen Adhiambo, about his extramarital affair with the late Sharon Otieno, describing the relationship as an “open secret” within his family and Migori County government circles.
Obado, who is defending himself against charges related to the 2018 murder of Sharon Otieno and her unborn child, revealed that his wife discovered the affair during a devolution conference at the Acacia Hotel in Kisumu in May 2018. He recounted a tense moment when Hellen called him around 11 PM on May 12, 2018, questioning whether he was at the conference venue or elsewhere with Sharon. Obado initially denied the affair but admitted to paying for Sharon’s accommodation at a separate hotel in Kisumu. Hellen, having received anonymous tips about her husband’s infidelity, confronted him with details that left him stunned. “I had not yet disclosed to my wife that there was another lady in my life. When she brought it up, I was surprised she knew,” Obado testified before Justice Cecilia Githua.
Eventually, Obado came clean, apologizing to his wife and assuring her that he intended to end the relationship. “I decided to open up that I truly had an affair with Sharon, and I offered my apology,” he told the court, though he refrained from sharing the exact words he used. He further disclosed that his firstborn son, Dan, was already aware of the affair, having been in contact with Sharon via social media. Dan had even given Sharon a lift to Nairobi for a medical check-up, during which she shared photos of her baby bump, referring to the unborn child as his sibling.
Obado’s testimony also shed light on the steps he took to support Sharon during her pregnancy. He claimed to have taken responsibility for the unborn child, offering medical insurance and arranging for a house to be built for her in Homa Bay, despite her preference for a property in Kisumu or Nairobi. He rejected allegations of neglect, insisting that he provided financial support, including KSh 30,000 for transport and airtime, a sum he borrowed from his wife during a meeting with Sharon’s intermediary, Lawrence Muller, at the Heron Court Hotel in Nairobi.
In a surprising twist, Obado revealed that his wife had offered to provide Sharon with one of their homes, a gesture he declined, emphasizing that he had no intention of marrying a second wife. “I was clear—I only supported buying land in the rural area,” he stated, referring to his plan to build a KSh 3 million house for Sharon in Homa Bay. Obado maintained that he ended the relationship not because of public scrutiny but due to “inconsistencies” in his dynamic with Sharon, though he continued to support her basic needs until her tragic death in September 2018.
Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old student, was kidnapped and murdered in 2018, her body discovered in Kodhiero Forest in Homa Bay County. She was seven months pregnant at the time, and Obado has been charged alongside his aides Michael Oyamo and Casper Obiero with her murder. All three have denied the charges, with Obado insisting that the real killers remain at large. The trial, which has gripped the nation for years, has seen 42 witnesses testify, and the court ruled in January 2025 that Obado and his co-accused have a case to answer.
Obado’s public admission of the affair and his transparency with his family add a complex layer to the high-profile case. While his confession paints a picture of a man attempting to take responsibility, it also raises questions about the dynamics within his marriage and the potential motives surrounding Sharon’s murder. As the trial continues, with the defense hearings for Oyamo and Obiero scheduled for May 19 to May 23, 2025, Kenyans remain captivated by the unfolding drama, awaiting clarity on whether justice will be served for Sharon Otieno and her unborn child.