Taxi Driver Jackson Gombe to Face Cross-Examination in Sharon Otieno Murder Case

The cross-examination of taxi driver Jackson Gombe in the murder case of Sharon Otieno will continue today before High Court Judge Cecilia Githua.

Last week, Gombe was put to task by defense lawyers Rodgers Sagana and Kioki Kilukumi to explain inconsistencies in his evidence. One of the inconsistencies was Gombe’s claim that he had left his phone charging at a shop in Migori when he started his journey to Oyugis. However, call data records produced in court show that Gombe’s phone was active from 4pm to midnight, and was captured roaming in different locations.

Sagana asked Gombe to explain how his phone could have been active if he had left it at a shop. Gombe said that he did not write that part of his statement, and that he may not have been paying attention to the details when he signed it. He maintained that he had left his phone at a shop in Migori, and that the shop keeper or his brother was attending to it.

The cross-examination is expected to continue today, and it is likely that Gombe will be asked to provide further details about his movements on the day of Sharon Otieno’s murder.

Here are some additional details about the case:

• Sharon Otieno was a 26-year-old law student who was found dead in a thicket in Kodera forest in September 2018.
• She was allegedly abducted by Jackson Gombe and two other men, who were working for former Migori governor Okoth Obado.
• Obado is accused of masterminding Sharon Otieno’s murder, and he is currently on trial.
• The case has attracted widespread attention in Kenya, and it has been seen as a test of the country’s commitment to fighting gender-based violence.