EACC detectives on Tuesday raided Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s Nairobi and Migori’ homes in search of evidence.
Detectives from the anti-graft agency on Tuesday raided the homes of Governor Okoth Obado in Migori and Nairobi. The early morning raid by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission was in search of documents and material to aid in an ongoing probe on corruption allegations against him.
The anti-corruption commission is investigating the loss of Sh2.5 billion at the Migori county government. Obado, who is also facing a murder charge, is accused of embezzling the said county funds through his proxies.
He was reportedly in Nairobi at the time the officers came calling. The detectives also camped at his office in Migori. Some of the funds were allegedly wired to his children’s offshore accounts in Australia, Hong Kong and China.
EACC and the Asset Recovery Agency have since frozen Obado’s bank accounts and those of his wife Hellen Adhiambo. The authorities have also frozen accounts of five businessmen and three companies believed to be proxies or associates of the county boss.
“The preliminary investigations have raised reasonable suspicion that embezzled public funds have been used by the governor, his wife and the said close proxies, the respondents herein, to accumulate property and illicit wealth,” EACC said in documents filed in court.
According to the anti-corruption commssion, the Sh2.5 billion was paid out to the dubious companies over the last five years.
It said the embezzlement of the funds was facilitated through registration of several companies that were awarded “inflated and fictitious contracts”.
Obado is out on Sh5 million cash bail over the murder charges of university student Sharon Otieno and her unborn child. The Migori Governor is accused of siphoning Sh2 billion of the county cash through bank accounts registered by his family members.
“The commission received credible information that a few persons well known to be proxies of the governor, registered several companies for the purpose of fraudulent acquisition of public funds through fictitious contracts,” says EACC.
Obado is also facing murder charges and was released on Sh5 million bail on October 25 after more than one month stay in custody at Industrial Area Remand Prison in Nairobi. The Governor is accused of murdering of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.