The murder trial of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno hogged the headlines in the second half July. Among the most riveting accounts from the courts, where former Migori Governor Zachary Obado is on trial for the murder of the woman he admitted carried his unborn child, was the last journey of Sharon from Rongo town in Migori county, to her death at Kodera Forest in Homa Bay county.
Obado and his former personal assistant and co-accused, Michael Oyamo, were in the dock July 14 at Nairobi’s Milimani courts.
Both the Daily Nation and The Standard reported a riveting account of witness testimony. But which paper got it right?
If you read the two papers on July 28, you would think the respective reporters attended two courts in different parts of town.
A key prosecution witness, Jackson Gombe, driver of the taxi that took Sharon to her death the evening of September 3, 2018, was on the stand.
The next day, the Nation heading said, “Taxi driver gives chilling account of Sharon Otieno’s last drive in his car”.
Reporter Richard Munguti wrote that the taxi driver dropped off Oyamo in Homa Bay and picked up four men and Sharon.
The story said the taxi picked up Sharon from Gracia Hotel in Homa Bay.
The Standard’s story headlined, “Taxi driver narrates how he was hired to ferry Sharon’s killers”, by Paul Ogemba, said that the drop-off and pick-up was in Rongo.
The Standard said that Sharon was picked up at a Graca Hotel in Rongo.
The Nation’s story said that the taxi drove towards Kisumu, presumably from Homa Bay. And that the driver was ordered to stop at Sondu, before being directed to an uninhabited area and the men took Sharon into the forest.
This account is unlikely for two reasons. One, Sondu is off route from Homa Bay-Kisumu road. Two, Kodera Forest is nowhere near Sondu.
On the other hand, The Standard’s account said the taxi drove towards Kisumu, presumably from Rongo, through Homa Bay. And that at Oyugis the driver was ordered to drive to the forest.
This is the more likely account and is consistent with previous reports.
If unsure of geography, grab a map.
