Obado gets final chance to settle Sh505 million graft case out of court

Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado at a Milimani court on December 04, 2023. [File, Standard] The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court has granted former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his four children a final opportunity to settle the Sh505 million graft case out of court. Magistrate Charles Ondieki has directed Obado, his children, and their co-accused to conclude plea bargain negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) by August 21, with a view to having the case withdrawn. DPP requested one month to conclude the process. Recently, during a scheduled hearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Charles Ondieki, lawyers representing Obado and his co-accused told the court that they had formally written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga seeking an alternative resolution to the long-running criminal trial that began in 2018. The court was told that a letter dated April 25, 2025, had been sent to the DPP requesting that the matter be considered for an out-of-court settlement. This follows earlier correspondence dating back to October and November 2022, in which the accused had initially expressed interest in pursuing a plea bargain. "We have held several meetings and deliberations with the DPP and EACC following the letter," the defence said. "We believe the negotiations are at an advanced stage and anticipate a conclusion within a month. In the interest of justice and judicial time, we urge the court to adjourn the matter to allow the settlement talks to be finalized." The defense team proposed that the case be mentioned again on July 1, 2025, to provide an update on the negotiations. Obado and his 26 co-accused also revealed to the court that they had settled two other asset recovery lawsuits out of court that had been pending before the High Court, worth Sh1.9 billion and Sh73 million, relating to unexplained wealth and proceeds of crime involving Obado, his four children, businessman Jared Peter Oluoch Kwaga, and his companies. They indicated that they had agreed to pay Sh253 million in total, with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) accepting Sh253 million as a fair settlement. The State Prosecutor confirmed receipt of the April 25, 2025 letter and acknowledged that a meeting had been held between the Office of the DPP, the EACC, and the defence counsel with a view to terminating the case through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court has granted former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his four children a final opportunity to settle the Sh505 million graft case out of court. Magistrate Charles Ondieki has directed Obado, his children, and their co-accused to conclude plea bargain negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) by August 21, with a view to having the case withdrawn. DPP requested one month to conclude the process. Recently, during a scheduled hearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Charles Ondieki, lawyers representing Obado and his co-accused told the court that they had formally written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga seeking an alternative resolution to the long-running criminal trial that began in 2018. The court was told that a letter dated April 25, 2025, had been sent to the DPP requesting that the matter be considered for an out-of-court settlement. This follows earlier correspondence dating back to October and November 2022, in which the accused had initially expressed interest in pursuing a plea bargain. "We have held several meetings and deliberations with the DPP and EACC following the letter," the defence said. "We believe the negotiations are at an advanced stage and anticipate a conclusion within a month. In the interest of justice and judicial time, we urge the court to adjourn the matter to allow the settlement talks to be finalized." The defense team proposed that the case be mentioned again on July 1, 2025, to provide an update on the negotiations. Obado and his 26 co-accused also revealed to the court that they had settled two other asset recovery lawsuits out of court that had been pending before the High Court, worth Sh1.9 billion and Sh73 million, relating to unexplained wealth and proceeds of crime involving Obado, his four children, businessman Jared Peter Oluoch Kwaga, and his companies. They indicated that they had agreed to pay Sh253 million in total, with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) accepting Sh253 million as a fair settlement. The State Prosecutor confirmed receipt of the April 25, 2025 letter and acknowledged that a meeting had been held between the Office of the DPP, the EACC, and the defence counsel with a view to terminating the case through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Obado gets final chance to settle Sh505 million graft case out of court

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Obado gets final chance to settle Sh505 million graft case out of court

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