Obado graft case starts, 59 witnesses lined up

Former Migori governor Okoth Obado. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • The court heard the charges filed against the accused include conspiracy to commit an economic crime, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property and money laundering.
  • The magistrate heard that the entities are companies registered in the names of individuals who are family members of Mr Kagwa.

The corruption case against Migori governor Okoth Obado, his four children and others has begun with the Director of Public Prosecution disclosing a total of Sh256.7million was irregularly siphoned from the county.

In the opening brief to the court, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP) Peter Kiprop told anti-graft court chief magistrate Lawrence Mugumba that he has lined up 59 witnesses “who will prove Mr Obado and his children benefited from the county funds.”

Mr Kiprop who is leading a team of senior prosecutors told the court the graft case against the suspects “is an intricate web of money laundering against the Migori county government through the use of proxies.”

The court heard the charges filed against the accused include conspiracy to commit an economic crime, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property and money laundering.

“The prosecution shall demonstrate to the court that a total sum of Sh256,703,688 was received from the county government of Migori by entities associated with Mr Jared Oluoch Kwaga,” Mr Kiprop stated.

The magistrate heard that the entities are companies registered in the names of individuals who are family members of Mr Kagwa.

“The prosecution shall proof that the entities were registered shortly after Mr Obado was voted as Governor Migori County,” said Mr Kiprop.

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