Obado and children have their day in court
Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado at Milimani Law Courts on May 8, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The prosecution has lined up 59 witnesses to testify in the case.
- The charges include conflict of interest and money laundering.
The hearing of a graft case against former Migori governor Okoth Obado and his children will begin on Tuesday morning after it was adjourned on Monday following a hitch over some documentation to be used in the trial.
Mr Obado has been charged alongside his four children and 11 other persons with misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest over millions awarded for tenders given to several companies by the Migori county government during his tenure as the county boss.
The prosecution has lined up 59 witnesses to testify in the case in a bid to prove the charges against Mr Obado and his co-accused persons.
Investigations revealed that the tenders were awarded to various companies during the 2013/2014, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 financial years and part of the proceeds were allegedly wired to Mr Obado’s children who were studying abroad.
Some of the proceeds were used to purchase properties worth millions of shillings including land and motor vehicles.
Unlawful acquisition of public funds.
Other than Mr Obado and his children, Mr Jared Peter Odoyo Oluoch Kwaga, his wife Christine Akinyi Ochola, his brothers Joram Opala and Patroba Ochanda, his mother Peninah Auma and his sister in-law Carolyne Anyango Ochola are facing the graft charges.
The charges include conspiracy to commit an economic crime, conflict of interest, money laundering and unlawful acquisition of public funds.
Part of the proceeds have since been recovered by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) through an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
Mr Obado and his children is alleged to have received more than Sh300 million through kickbacks, which were allegedly wired to their bank accounts or used to acquire the properties.
The EACC said the case was a clear scheme of money laundering as some of the accused persons were used as conduit to get tenders at the Migori County government using the various companies and money was eventually channelled back to Mr Obado through his children as a means to disguise the source of the money.
