By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
Hearing of the corruption charges against former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his 4 children resumed on Tuesday 9th July 2024 at 9:00 am, before Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Victor Wakumile.
59 witnesses are set to testify on how the fraudulent scheme was hatched and executed, with EACC giving part of its evidence on Tuesday.
Former Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado, his 4 children Dan Achola Okoth, Scarlet Susan Okoth, Everlyn Zachary Okoth and Jerry Zachary Okoth, together with 11 other accused persons were on Monday, 8th July 2024, from 9:00 am, in the dock before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court concerning the criminal charges they are facing for alleged theft of public funds and conflict of interest in Migori County Government.
According to the Investigations done by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in this case after receiving allegations that Migori County Government had made suspicious payments to multiple companies, totalling Kes.1.98 billion, most payments were found to have been done lawfully.
“However, after investigations, most payments were found to have been lawfully made in respect to executed contracts whose works were confirmed in a verification exercise while payments amounting to Kes.235 million remained unexplained and thus deemed to have been fraudulently acquired from the County Government,” Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission wrote on X.
The Commission identified an undisclosed sum as proceeds of corruption, involving kickbacks sent by certain companies to foreign universities as tuition fees for Obado’s children and luxury properties acquired for the family by these contractors.
The funds have been successfully recovered through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) after a civil recovery lawsuit was initiated at the High Court.
According to the commission, the seized properties will be disposed of by public auction following the court orders issued by Justice Esther Maina.