The Sharon Otieno murder case hearing against Migori Governor Okoth Obado has been postponed to nextweek from July 12 to 15.
This is after defendants sought to have the case postponed, citing Covid-19 restrictions.
In a letter dated June 28 through his lawyer, Obado sought postponement of the trial.
“My client is unable to travel outside the Covid-19 hotspot zone. Accordingly, we request the case be mentioned virtually on Monday, the 5th July 2021 for the purpose of fixing fresh hearing dates, hopefully at a time when the threat of Covid-19 has substantially subsided,” read part of the letter.
However, DPP Noordin Haji said his office will strongly oppose any further adjournment saying they have been involved in many activities that do not support their assertions of Covid-19.
The number of participants and people attending the hearing has been restricted to accused persons and their counsels, the team from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office, counsel from family and family of the deceased.
The DPP has been directed to avail two witnesses per day.
Earlier, appearing before Justice Cecilia Githua on Monday were Kioko Kilukumi and Rodgers Sagana for Migori Governor Obado; Prof Tom Ojienda for second accused Micheal Oyamo and Elsiha Ongoya for third accused Casper Obiero.
The DPP is being represented by Catherine Mwaniki.
The trial was supposed to begin on March 16 and 14, 2020 but was adjourned due to the scaling down of court operations because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He alongside Juma Oyamo and Casper Obiero are accused of brutally murdering former Rongo University student Sharon Otieno aged 26 years on September 3, 2018.
The prosecution has lined up 37 witnesses to testify against Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his two co-accused.
The three are out on bond after pleading not guilty to the murder charge.
Sharon’s body was discovered in a thicket near Oyugis town.
A post-mortem revealed Sharon was possibly raped and stabbed eight times in the neck, abdomen and back.
Sharon also lost her unborn baby in the gruesome murder.
National Media Group journalist Barrack Oduor who escaped murder told police that he was abducted alongside Sharon but he managed to jump out of a speeding car to save his life.
Oduor left behind Sharon alone with the abductors who later allegedly murdered her in cold blood.
Sharon had reportedly contacted Oduor over an intimate relationship she allegedly had with the governor and which led to the pregnancy that the governor was unhappy about.