‘Sharon Otieno abductors strangled her in the car’
A P3 form for an injured man who witnessed the abduction of Migori governor Okoth Obado’s lover Sharon Otieno was filled by doctors almost a year after the incident, a prosecution witness told the High Court yesterday.
The court also heard how five police officers and a clinical officer saved the man after escaping from the abductors on the night of September 3, 2018.
Harun Diero, a clinical officer, was however put to task by the defence lawyers to explain why the police document was not filled at the time of medical examination and in absence of the patient.
The document is used to request for medical examination by a government medical officer to determine the nature and extent of the bodily injury sustained by a complainant in assault cases.
Justice Cecilia Githua heard that the details were recorded in the P3 form on August 15, 2019 -11 months after the alleged abduction that happened on September 3, 2018 in Rongo town Migori.
The man, whose identity has been withheld following court’s instruction because of his security, was treated at Kendu Bay sub county hospital under security of five armed police officers.
He had sustained serious injuries on his knees and palms after escaping from the abductors by jumping from their speeding car.
Mr Diero was testifying in a case where governor Obado, his personal assistant Michael Oyamo and county government clerk Casper Obiero are charged with murder of Sharon and her unborn baby.
After the abduction incident, Sharon was later found murdered and body dumped at Kodera Forest in the neighbouring Homa Bay County. She was a second year student at Rongo University College.
Dr Diero testified that at the hospital the patient appeared somber, stressed, shaken and not under influence of alcohol. The patient told medics that he had escaped from the abductors by jumping from a speeding car.
Him and Sharon had reportedly been lured to the kidnappers by Governor Obado’s personal assistant Mr Oyamo and at the time he was jumping out the car was being driven at a speed of between 80 and 100 kilometers per hour, the court heard.
Confrontation ensued inside the car after the abductors started straggling the two victims.
The court further heard that the man, in his report to the police, said they had been abducted by unknown people.
“On September 3, 2018 I was working at night shift. The patient was brought to the hospital and said he had been abducted. He was bleeding on palms and hands. I examined him and gave him tetanus injection,” said Dr Diero.
The doctor’s findings were that the injuries were caused by a brunt object. The patient had no wounds at the elbows but his trouser was torn at knee area. The doctor did not advise him to seek further treatment elsewhere, the court heard.
However, he filled the police P3 form 11 months later and in absence of the patient although the document requires the patient to be at site.
At the time the suspects, Mr Obado Mr Oyamo and Mr Caspal Obiero had already been arraigned in court and charged with the murder.
“During examination the wounds were 11 months old. I did not have the patient at site and I relied on the history in the clinical booklet to fill the P3 form,” said the witness.
Asked why he filled the medical document without the patient at site, Dr Diero said police investigators told him that the man was under the witness protection program.
Two other Prosecution witnesses, police constables Ole Tuwai Birigen and Loimen Leselen, told court that after receiving treatment the patient narrated to Kendu Bay OCS the late George Kabii about the incident.
At the police car, he told police his name and his place of work.
Hearing of the case will continue on March 7, 2022.