Don't punish him': Sharon's mother pleads with court to spare Obado

 

Melinda Auma made the emotional appeal as she addressed Justice Cecilia Githua during the mitigation and sentencing hearing following Obado’s conviction for the murder of her daughter. [Nancy Gitonga, Standard]

The mother of slain Rongo University student Sharon Otieno has pleaded with the High Court not to send former Migori Governor Okoth Obado to prison, saying his imprisonment could cause another death in her family.

Melinda Auma made the emotional appeal on Wednesday as she addressed Justice Cecilia Githua during the mitigation and sentencing hearing following Obado’s conviction for the murder of her daughter.

“Don’t crucify Governor Obado. If he goes for death or life sentencing, I’ll see another death in my life. Do me a favour; just don’t take him to jail,” Auma told the court.

She pleaded with the judge to consider a non-custodial sentence, saying Sharon’s family had forgiven the former governor and maintained a relationship with him despite the murder case.

“My lady, I stand before this court to share my view on this case,” Auma said.

She told the court that the two families had agreed to forgive Obado, whom she described as remorseful during the court proceedings and after Sharon’s death.

“The family of Sharon, the two families agreed that since the first accused has been remorseful at the time of death and during the court proceedings and the family of the accused also came immediately after conviction asking for forgiveness, and we said as a family we have forgiven the first convict,” she said.

Auma further invoked the Bible as she made her plea, saying she would refer to verses from Genesis and Luke.

“Luke 23,” she said before making her appeal.

“I’m pleading with this honourable court to grant the first convict a non-custodial sentence,” she said.

According to Auma, the relationship Obado had with Sharon, and the relationship her family had developed with him, should be considered by the court in determining his sentence.

“The relationship of the first accused (Obado) with my daughter and the same we had with him during the court proceedings and after conviction does not allow him to go for a death sentence or life sentence,” she said.

She also reminded the court that Sharon left behind three children who are now being raised by their maternal grandmother.

“This court should note that Sharon left three children. If he is granted a non-custodial sentence, he will come back and help us take care of these kids,” Auma said.

Through their lawyer Antony Opondo, Sharon’s parents had also urged the court to consider restorative justice, arguing that sentencing should take into account the emotional and psychological needs of victims.

The plea comes after a victim impact report filed before the court revealed that Sharon’s family had endured significant financial and emotional hardship following her death and the eight-year trial.

The family said it had incurred about Sh4.7 million in expenses, including funeral and court-related costs.

The parents have also demanded Obado to buy a land and build them a home worth Sh 3.5 million, as he had promised their daughter.

Sharon, 26, was seven months pregnant when she was abducted and murdered in September 2018.

She left behind three children, now aged 12, 11 and nine.

Justice Githua convicted Obado, his former personal assistant Michael Juma Oyamo and former Migori County Clerk Caspal Ajwang Obiero on July 23, finding that the prosecution had proved the murder case against all three beyond reasonable doubt.

The prosecution has separately urged the court to impose a sentence reflecting the gravity of the offence and the interests of justice.

Auma ended her plea with a direct appeal to the judge.

“My last plea is: do not crucify Governor Obado in this case.”

“If he is jailed, I may see another death in my family, and I ask this court to release him in a non-custodial sentence,” she said.