Anti-graft agency to enhance Obado charges

Migori Governor Okoth Obado is in the eye of a storm, as anti-graft detectives are now wrapping up more investigations that will see the county chief, his children and allies charged with procurement irregularities and abuse of office.

Mr Obado was on Thursday charged alongside his four children, five close allies and 13 companies for corruption, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property and money laundering.

Sources at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have confirmed to the Saturday Nation that investigations into the county’s procurement mess were broken down into several components, and that the Thursday charges are just the first batch that will be brought against Mr Obado and his allies.

At the heart of the first procurement web is Mr Jared Peter Odoyo Kwaga, a shadowy businessman linked to more than 30 companies that did business with Migori County and got over Sh2.5 billion through the controversial deals.

Mr Kwaga used his family to incorporate companies that got the tenders. Ms Peninah Auma Otago (mother), Ms Christine Akinyi Ochola (wife), Ms Carolyne Anyango Ochola (sister-in-law) and brothers Joram Otieno Opala and Patroba Otieno Ochanda are believed to have been Mr Kwaga’s proxies in the deals.

Sh38.9 million

The Thursday charges involve Sh38.9 million that Mr Kwaga used to buy a mansion in Nairobi’s Loresho on behalf of Mr Obado, and Sh34.5 that was sent to the county chief’s children.

 “That (Thursday charges) is just one component of the investigation. Initially we were looking at a figure of Sh2.5 billion but the investigation was broken down into many components. The overall investigation is more enhanced; we have gone into many other contracts that were awarded,” the EACC detective said.

The Thursday charges are about kickbacks Mr Obado allegedly received from Mr Kwaga’s family.

Mr Kwaga’s family allegedly used Misoft Company Limited, Tarchdog Printers, Mactebac Contractors, Deltrack ICT Services, Seletrack Consultants, Dolphus Softwares, Joyush Business, Swyfcon Engineering, Dankey Press, Atinus Services, Kajulu Business Limited, Pesulus Supplies and Victorious Investments Limited to give the kickbacks to Mr Obado’s family.

But the overall investigation has traced another seven companies that won tenders to Mr Kwaga’s family.

The companies are Soul Media Services, Doutech Technology, Macropharm Pharmaceuticals, Dancos Engineering, Bahati Studios, Premacy Petrol Station and Soul Train Services.

The second procurement web involves businessman Ernest Omondi Owino and his associates Elisha Odhiambo, Janet Otieno Awino, Diana Amanda Muma, Peter Namasake, David Maronga and Robert Marube.

Sh861.8 million

Mr Owino’s group used eight companies to win tenders. Their Janto Construction, Marowa Stores, Mbingo Enterprises, Migwish Enterprises, New Team Enterprises, Queeno Investment, Ropeda Construction and Sunae Construction won tenders worth Sh861.8 million between 2013 and 2017.

Another individual, Ms Beatrice Akinyo Ogutu, is also on the EACC’s radar.

On September 20, 2017 the EACC asked County Secretary Christopher Rusana to furnish detectives with several documents pertaining to more than 30 companies.

The tender documents were set to arrive at Integrity Centre on September 24, 2017 at exactly 8am.

A few minutes past midnight on September 24, 2017 a fire burnt the building used by the county to store original copies of procurement documents.

However, detectives unearthed that every time the firms in the illicit procurement network received money from Migori, Mr Kwaga would withdraw some funds to his private accounts, then share some of the loot with Mr Obado or his children. Misoft Company was the biggest beneficiary, as it received tenders worth Sh416 million between 2013 and 2017.

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