Okoth Obado to know if he will plead to fresh graft charges

Migori Governor Okoth Obado (pictured) will tomorrow (October 19) know if he will plead to fresh charges of conspiracy to defraud his county government of Sh256 million.

This follows an application by the Director of Public Prosecution to amend the charge sheet and introduce new evidence in the graft case facing the governor, his four children and six family members.

Trial magistrate Lawrence Mugambi said he will deliver the ruling on the application by the DPP before proceeding with the hearings.

Obado and his four children Dan Achola, Scarlet Susan, Jerry Zachary and Evelyne Odhiambo are said to have been part of the conspiracy to siphon public funds from the county government through indirect payments to their accounts.

Also facing the charges are businessman Jared Oluoch Kwaga, his wife Christine Akinyi Ochola, mother Penina Auma, brothers Joram Opala Otieno and Patroba Ochanda Otieno, and sister-in-law Carolyne Anyango Ochola and their six companies.

They are charged with 28 counts.

The prosecution’s case is that they conspired to defraud the County Government of Migori of more than Sh256 million through deceit, conflict of interest and theft.

The hearings started last week when the prosecution brought the first witness who narrated how the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission unearthed the conspiracy by traders suspected to be Obado’s proxies to defraud the county government.

Robert Rono, an investigator with EACC, testified that their analysis of evidence gathered showed Obado’s government paid 23 companies owned by some of his proxies a total of Sh2.6 billion in a scheme that involved massive fraud.