Migori Governor Okoth Obado has finally regained freedom to travel through neighbouring Homa Bay County after a judge lifted a court-imposed restriction on his movements.
High Court judge Jessie Lesiit Tuesday granted the governor his request to have an earlier order restricting him to 20km restriction away from Homa Bay, where murdered university student Sharon Otieno hailed from, lifted.
Mr Obado has been charged with the murder alongside his aides, Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero
“The purpose of the restriction has already been served and it’s no longer necessary,” the judge said.
The travel ban was one of the many restrictions the High Court imposed on the governor after the prosecution raised fears of threatening witnesses, among them Sharon's mother, who lives in Homa Bay.
For any travel abroad, the governor must also seek the judge's permission after having been ordered to deposit his Kenya, East Africa and diplomatic passports in court.
Last week, he skipped a visit by his ODM party leader Raila Odinga, citing the conditions of the court that barred him from accessing the county.
Last year, when he was arraigned in court several times after being held in Industrial Area remand prison, he said he would abide by the conditions set by the court as long as he was freed.
Having spent nearly a month in custody, Lady Justice Lesiit handed him freedom pending trial albeit with several conditions to be complied with.
He was warned that should he breach any of conditions, his bond terms would be cancelled which would definitely see him back in remand.
But in February, he asked for a review of the bond terms, claiming that he could not even access all the eight constituencies in Migori County some of which are within the restricted area.
Five of the Migori constituencies, he said, border Homa Bay.
He claimed that while travelling from Nairobi, the easier route passes within Homabay County yet the alternative route is costly and longer.
He alleged that he chairs the Agricultural subcommittee in the council of governors which makes him travel to international, regional and local forums.
He alleged that the restrictions given by the court during his release barred him from effectively serving all the people in his county hence difficult for him to discharge his mandate as a governor.
He further alleged that his work involves lots of travelling to and from Nairobi yet the only mode of travelling to the city from Migori without either coming at any point within the prohibited 20 km distance or incurring heavy costs via a chartered flight is by the road through Transmara which is a rough terrain.
While using the said route, it takes one six hours longer than the preferred Kisii-Suneka-Rongo route which falls within the restricted area.
The murder trial resumes on May 6-17.
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