Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his children arrested in Kisii over Ksh. 73 million theft -EACC

 

Migori Governor Okoth Obado. FILE

 

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji orders the arrest and prosecution of Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his four children among other relatives over the theft of over Ksh. 73 million public funds.

Embattled Migori Governor Okoth Obado, who is facing a murder charge of his girlfriend Sharon Otieno, has been arrested after presenting himself to the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) offices in Kisii.
 

DPP Haji, in a press statement released on Tuesday, said the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) began investigations following intelligence records on allegations of gross misappropriation of public funds by Governor Obado through selected proxies.


 

The DPP said that, upon scrutiny of the file from EACC, he discovered that the governor received a total sum of Ksh.73,474,376.90 indirectly through his children from companies trading with the Migori County Government between the financial years 2013/ 2014 and 2016/ 2017.


 

The money traces from the proxy companies revealed that Ksh.38,949,376.90 was wired to accounts held by Governor Obado’s children, namely: Achola Dan Okoth, Susan Scarlet Okoth and Jerry Zachary Okoth.


 

The money, added the DPP, was used to pay the children’s school fees, upkeep, maintenance and medical bills in Australia, Scotland and the United Kingdom while some were also traced to have bought two motor vehicles of make, Toyota Land Cruiser V8.


 

The tracing also disclosed that Ksh.34,525,000 was used to purchase a house in Loresho Ridge whose beneficial owner is Evelyne Adhiambo Zachary, the governor’s other daughter.


 

 

These companies and business entities are Misoft Company Limited, Tarchdog Printers, De1track ICT services, Seletrack Consultants, Mactebac Contractors, Joyush Business, Swyfcon Engineering, Atinus Services, Kajulu business, Victorious investment, Dolphus Softwares, Dankey Press and Pesulus Services.

 

 

According to the Haji, the proprietors of these companies were proxies of the governor, including 3 of whom were brothers, namely; Jared Peter Kwaga, Patroba Ochanda and Joram Opala; and their mother Penina Auma Otago, and the spouse to Jared Peter Kwaga, Christine Akinyi and his sister-in-law Carolyne Onyango.


 

 

The DPP hence said he is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to arrest and charge the above-named persons with various criminal offences.