Kenyans demand justice for murdered pregnant student who tried to expose love affair with top politician

Kenyans are in shock after the killing of a 26-year-old pregnant university student who was abducted on Monday together with a journalist after they tried exposing her alleged love affair with a top politician.

The body of the Rongo University student, Sharon Otieno, was found in a forest in Homa Bay on Wednesday morning, a day after the Nation Newspaper journalist Barack Oduor had reported their abduction to the police after his escape.

Oduor, who had bruises on his knees and hands told journalists at the Kisumu Central Police Station that the second year student had alleged that she had been impregnated by the governor of the Migori County, Okoth Obado.

The journalist and the student had arranged a meeting with the aide of the governor, identified as Michael Oyamo, and the venue was changed twice.

“When we got out of the hotel, he told us to board his vehicle so we could move to a different hotel within Rongo town. He was with the driver and a co-driver,” Oduor was quoted by The Standard.

He said the car drove to a different town and made a stop to pick two other men. “We sat in the middle. One man was in the far left and the other far right seat. They ordered us to surrender our phones and all property we had. That is when I knew we had been abducted,” he added.

Oduor explained that while the car was speeding, the abductors strangled him and he successfully opened the door and jumped after struggling with them. With his injuries, he sought help from a nearby house and he was taken to the Kadel Police Post Monday night and then to a hospital.

“I suspect I was kidnapped to prevent publication of the story,” Oduor added while at the police station where other journalists had camped in solidarity and for justice to be served.

The Kenyan government stated on Wednesday morning after the student’s body was found that the circumstances “distinctly point to murder” and attempted murder of the journalist.

“…this matter will be expeditiously investigated and the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be made to face the full force of the law,” they assured the public and journalists whose network has described the incident as an attack on press freedom.

The police announced the arrest of the aide of the Migori governor and promised to conduct rigorous investigation.

Meanwhile, the public is calling for the protection of the arrested suspects from committing suicide while in custody, a regular occurrence in high-level criminal cases.

The public is demanding justice and expressed their views on social media.