NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 27 – Migori Governor Okoth Obado was charged Thursday over corruption, alongside his four children, in a rare scandal that sucked an entire family.
The family was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts alongside 11 Migori County staff and suppliers–all accused of siphoning some Sh73.4 million from the county accounts in dubious procurement deals.
The prosecution told the court that the money was paid from Migori County to companies associated with Obado’s children and other accomplices, including employees of the county.
Thy appeared before anti-corruption Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi during which the state through prosecutors Victor Mule and Henry Kinyanjui strongly opposed their release on bail.
The prosecution said that if released, the suspects would interfere with witnesses as well as abscond the trial.
They all denied 28 counts related to misappropriation of funds belonging to the county and were remanded until August 31, pending ruling of their bail application.
They were arrested on Wednesday after the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji approved charges against them following an investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, EACC.
Obado’s children were named in court documents as Dan Achola Okoth, Scarlet Susan Okoth, Jerry Zachary Okoth and Everline Adhiambo Zachary.
They were charged with suppliers who won lucrative tenders through corruption at the county and later wired money to the governor and his children’s accounts.
“The investigations were in respect of Sh73.4 million being sums indirectly received by the Governor through his children who received multiple payments from companies trading with Migori County Government between 2013/2014 Financial Year and 2016/2017,” DPP Noordin Haji said when indicting them.
Obado is out on bond in the murder of Sharon Otieno who was brutally murdered while pregnant, days after making it known to his associates that he was responsible for the pregnancy. He denies killing her.
