This archive report was first published on 11 November 2019.
Published on November 11, 2019, Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his co-accused have filed an application to disqualify lawyer George Wajackoyah from representing the family of murdered student Sharon Otieno in their trial.
According to court documents, Mr. Obado instructed Mr. Wajackoyah to act for him after the lawyer assured him that he had been cleared to participate in the case by the Director of Public Prosecution and the Director of Criminal Investigations, both of whom he does consultancy work with.
Mr. Obado claimed that Mr. Wajackoyah paid him a visit at Gigiri Police Station on September 23, 2018, two days after his arrest, and sought his instructions on the case.
Mr. Nicholas Ombija, representing Mr. Obado, argued that Mr. Wajackoyah's continued representation of the victims was 'likely to result in breach of the right to a fair trial and a miscarriage of justice against the applicant.'
However, Mr. Wajackoyah responded that he was surprised by the application and the allegations, and that it was a clear affront to the right of the victims to have representation by an advocate of their own choice.
The application will be heard on November 27.
