NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 13 – The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution will be seeking to demonstrate conflict of interest in a Sh73.4 million corruption case facing Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his four children and 11 other suspects.
The prosecution led by Senior Public Prosecutor Peter Kiprop, State Counsel Evah Kanyuira and her counterpart Hellen Mutellah told trial magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, it has evidence to prove that the Governor and the other accused persons are guilty.
New evidence presented to court on Wednesday pointed out that the accused persons had conflict of interest in contracts awarded by the County Government of Migori to different entities between 2014 and 2016.
“The Prosecution also said that the Governor unlawfully acquired public property & used monies from the County for personal gain; to pay school fees for his children abroad & to buy a home in Loresho on behalf of his daughter,” the prosecution stated.
The Prosecution is expected to present evidence to prove the relationship between the accused persons, some of whom are family members of the governor.
Obado and his four children; Dan Achola, Susan Scarlet Okoth, Jerry Zachary Okoth and Adhiambo Evelyn Okoth were charged in August 2020 with embezzlement of public resources in the Sh73.4 million graft case.
Files introduced by the prosecution include documents recovered from Obado’s home in Uriri, Migori County; Migori county government and evaluation committee report referenced ECR/263/2015-2016 covering a period between June 8 to 14 of 2014.
The newly submitted files also included an offer for a sale agreement for a townhouse in Loresho Ridge dated August 12, 2014 and bank account statements from KCB, Co-operative banks, Central Bank of Kenya and Bank of Scotland.
The public prosecutor told the court evidence collected indicated that the governor worked with his friend, Jared Peter Kwaga, then termed by investigators as his proxy, and who also allegedly recruited his family members into the chain.
Three of the firms associated with the Kwaga family were also paid Sh163.5 million by the Migori government.
The firms include Pesulus Supplies and Kajulu Business Ltd, owned by Kwaga’s mother Peninah Auma, and Atinus Services, owned by Kwaga’s wife Christine Akinyi.
Other documents include payment vouchers for several companies including M/S Deltrack ICT Services, Dolphus Softwares, Pesulus Supplies, Kajulu Business Solutions Associates, Atinus Services and Victorious Investments.
The hearing will continue on Thursday, when the prosecution is due to present the first witness. The public prosecutor has lined up 59 witnesses.
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