Migori Governor Okoth Obado on Friday suffered another setback after the High Court set his bail ruling to October 24th – meaning he will spend two more weeks at the Industrial Area Remand Prison. Obado will be held alongside his co-accused Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero after the ordered by Milimani High Court judge Jessie Lesiit.
Oyamo is a PA to the governor while Obiero is a clerk working for Migori County government. They have all been charged with the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.
Lesiit gave the direction after listening to plea from the suspects who had applied for bail. After listening to the oral arguments, Lesiit said she would give the ruling on October 24th.
Obado has already spent three weeks in state custody and will have spent five weeks by the time his bail ruling is issued.
This is after Lady Justice Jessie Lesiit made a ruling extending the hearing of their bail application to October 24. Public prosecutors Jacob Ondari, Tom Imbali and Alexander Muteti appealed to the court to detain the trio, citing possible interference with the witnesses in the Sharon Otieno murder case. The prosecution argued that witness accounts were still at stake and that granting bail to the suspects could jeopardise the case. Arguing for Obado’s release on bail lawyer Nicholas Ombija told the court his client had been committed to the process.
Cliff Ombeta, also for the governor, argued that the prosecution had failed to justify to the court why it should detain his client. Governor Obado and his aide Michael Oyamo have been in police custody together with assembly clerk Caspal Obiero after failed attempts secure bail. Earlier this week, the prosecution slapped them with fresh murder charge for the unborn baby of the slain student. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
hey are facing additional obstacle after Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya and Sharon Otieno’s mother, Melida Auma, filed an application seeking their detention till the case is completed. Mr Obado was remanded at Industrial Area GK Prison where he stayed shortly before being admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital. He told the court on Tuesday that he was being treated for stomache infections.