Kenyan governor Okoth Obado denies murder of Sharon Otieno

A Kenyan governor was Monday charged in court with the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.

Migori Governor Okoth Obado denied involvement in the killing of Ms Sharon Otieno who was found dumped in a forest in western Kenya.

Mr Obado, a married man, is accused of, alongside others not before court, aiding and abetting the murder of the university student between September 3 and 4.

A post-mortem revealed that Ms Otieno was raped and stabbed eight times in the neck, abdomen and back, losing her unborn child in the attack.

In court, Mr Obado was represented by four lawyers.

He was remanded in prison pending hearing of his bail application on Tuesday.

His lawyers lost a bid to have him detained at the Gigiri Police Station where he was being held since his arrest on Friday.

Mr Obado's lawyers, led by Nicholas Ombija and Cliff Ombeta, want him freed on bond.

However, the prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jacob Ondari and Tom Imbali, are opposed to the bail application saying they will be filing a related case on Wednesday and will be seeking to consolidate the two cases.

During the court appearance, Mr Obado chatted and laughed with his lawyers but became pensive when he was asked to take a plea.

Ms Otieno's mother, Melida Auma, was also in court and appeared weak and lost in thoughts. She struggled to control her emotions forcing relatives to come to her aid.

Arrests

Minutes to the start of the proceedings, police arrested Mr Obado's bodyguard in a hotel adjacent to the law courts.

The man was identified as John Chacha had just entered the hotel when officers in plainclothes pounced on him.

The arrest brings to six the number of suspects apprehended in connection with the murder.