From Power to Prison: Obado, Oyamo and Obiero Begin a New Life Behind Bars After Sharon Otieno Murder Conviction
Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, alongside his co-convicts Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero, has begun a dramatically different chapter of life after being convicted over the murder of university student Sharon Otieno.
The three are now under the custody of the Kenya Prisons Service, where they will live under the same strict rules and conditions as every other inmate, regardless of their previous positions or influence.
On Thursday evening, the trio was transferred to Industrial Area Remand Prison shortly after leaving the Milimani Law Courts at around 5:30 p.m. However, they arrived after the prison’s dinner service had ended. With the day’s ration of ugali and beans already finished, they reportedly spent their first night without prison food, having only taken fruit and soda before leaving court.
They were assigned to Block G, a section commonly used to house high-profile inmates and remandees. There, they found themselves sharing accommodation with former Nairobi Central Police Station Commander Samson Talaam, who is facing murder charges linked to the death of teacher Albert Ojwang.
Each of the three was issued the standard prison essentials—a mattress, a bed and a blanket—before being locked in for the night, marking the beginning of their prison routine.
For Obado, the experience carried a striking twist of fate. In 2018, while serving as Migori Governor, he had donated a television set to the same prison to enable inmates to keep up with current affairs. That very television was reportedly in the room where he spent his first night as a convicted prisoner.
The same Block G has previously housed other prominent figures, including former Sirisia MP John Waluke and former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, following their convictions in separate corruption cases.
Ironically, this was not Obado’s first stay in the facility. In September 2018, shortly after his arrest over Sharon Otieno’s murder, he and his co-accused were detained in the same Block G before being released on bail. Obado spent 33 days there before securing his freedom.
Following sentencing, all convicted prisoners undergo a mandatory admission process. They receive a medical examination, are issued with prison uniforms, and surrender personal belongings—including phones, money, watches, jewellery and civilian clothing—which are securely stored until their release.
For the once-powerful former governor and his co-convicts, the journey from the corridors of power to the confines of prison marks a profound and sobering turn in one of Kenya’s most closely followed criminal cases.