Sharon Otieno ‘refused dowry offer from ex-husband’

Mr Bernard Okuta, Sharon Otieno’s former husband, was planning to pay dowry last year but the deceased was reported to be reluctant.

Close friends of Mr Okuta, a teacher at Rapogi High School in Uriri constituency, confided that the man had wanted to formalise the marriage in accordance with the Luo customs, but the woman appeared not ready to settle down with him.

ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP

The two had a son and two daughters.

“It seems this was the time she was preparing to start another relationship,” the source said. Mr Okuta is still a teacher at Rapogi, located about five kilometres away from the home of Governor Obado.

This is the same school in which the county chief worked and where he taught his personal assistant, Mr Michael Oyamo.

Since Mr Okuta did not pay dowry, no pressure is being exerted on him to bury the deceased because, according to Luo customs, payment of dowry is what solemnises a marriage.

His colleagues at the school say he is a traumatised man and could be thinking of seeking a transfer to another school.

When the media reached out to him recently, Mr Okuta said people should avoid speculating about Ms Otieno’s death and let the police do their work. Although he confirmed that Ms Otieno was married to him, he declined to speak about their marriage, saying that the matter is too emotive for him to comment on.

When the Nation visited the school, Mr Okuta, a dark-complexioned, middle-aged man a little over five feet tall, was wearing shorts and was busy with students. He was initially hesitant to speak to the media and only spoke after a colleague joined him. He was terse but was calm during the interview, which lasted less than 10 minutes.

“This matter is too emotive for me to comment. If I wanted to comment on it, I would have done so long ago. I would rather leave the matter to the police and other investigators to find out what happened. That is all I can say,” the soft-spoken Mr Okuta said.