Sharon Otieno family seeks compensation after eight-year court battle

In a victim impact statement contained in a probation report filed ahead of sentencing, the family said it had been forced to sell a one-acre piece of land and a cow to meet expenses arising from the murder, funeral and prolonged court proceedings.

The family told probation officers that it has been struggling to meet the immediate and long-term needs of Sharon’s three children, her aging parents, and siblings.

The report estimates that the family spent about KSh1.2 million on travel, accommodation and meals while attending court proceedings in Nairobi over the past seven to eight years.

It also puts funeral and burial expenses at approximately KSh3.5 million.

The financial burden, the family said, had left its needs outstanding, particularly in education, healthcare, food and housing.

“The victim family prays for compensation,” the report states, noting that the family had depleted its resources and was no longer able to adequately meet its obligations.

The family has also asked the court to consider orders that would provide relief from the financial difficulties occasioned by Sharon’s death and the lengthy trial.

Beyond the financial impact, the family told probation officers that it had endured emotional distress, trauma, psychological torture and anxiety for nearly eight years.

It has therefore sought psychological and trauma counselling to help members of the family cope with the loss and begin the process of healing.

The report says Sharon’s death not only robbed the family of a daughter and sister but also left her three children without their mother.

It describes the children, Sharon’s parents and siblings as secondary victims who have continued to experience grief, psychological trauma and economic vulnerability.

The family further complained that its suffering had been compounded by what it described as persistent negative exposure on social media and mainstream media, which it says had affected its dignity and caused anxiety.

It also expressed concerns over its safety, particularly because some people linked to the case remain at large, saying the family fears possible retaliation or negative reactions after the final judgment.

On reconciliation, the report says efforts were made to engage the families of the accused persons, but the process did not yield the same outcome across all three families.

Representatives of former Migori Governor Zachariah Okoth Obado’s family attended a reconciliation meeting with Sharon’s family on August 10, 2026.

During the meeting, Obado’s family acknowledged that he had made commitments to Sharon and indicated that they remained willing to fulfil them.

The probation report says honouring those commitments could help address some of the needs of Sharon’s children.

A separate meeting was also held with representatives of the second accused’s family, although the engagement did not result in an amicable reconciliation or substantive deliberations.

According to the report, there were no reconciliation efforts initiated by the family of the third accused.

The probation officer said no sentence could restore Sharon’s life or erase the pain suffered by her loved ones, but urged the court to consider interventions aimed at stabilising the family and securing the future of the children.

The report notes that the commitments made during the reconciliation process could provide a pathway towards addressing some of the family’s immediate needs, independently of the court’s eventual verdict.

Principal Probation Officer Salome Muthoni has recommended that the High Court consider the totality of the findings contained in the report when determining the sentence against Obado and his co-accused.

The family is expected to make its submissions on sentencing when the matter comes up before the High Court on September 16.