Court freezes Migori Governor Okoth Obado's assets in Ksh.74M graft case

The High Court has authorised the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to freeze the assets of Migori Governor Okoth Obado pending the hearing and determination of a case where he is accused of embezzling Ksh.74 million from the county coffers.

Justice Esther Maina on Thursday ordered EACC to seize two high-end vehicles from the governor and a residential property in Nairobi County's posh Loresho Ridge estate.

Obado has likewise been prohibited from selling the vehicles and collecting rent from the said residential apartment, instead being instructed to remit all proceeds from the house to a joint account in the name of EACC and the Governor.

“Pending the hearing and determination of this matter an order is granted that the monthly rental income of Ksh.143,000 derived from renting out of the Loresho Ridge House be remitted in the joint earning accounts in name of EACC and Mr Obado,” ruled Justice Maina.

The governor's four children, Jerry Zachary Okoth, Scarlet Susan Okoth, Dan Okoth and Evelyne Adhiambo, alongside Obado's close associate, Peter Odoyo Kwaga, have likewise been ordered to surrender the vehicles and their logbooks, currently in their possession, to EACC within seven days.

They have similarly been barred from selling or transferring the frozen assets.

EACC had moved to court on grounds that Obado used dubious contracts to siphon Ksh.73,474,376 from Migori County. EACC claims that several of the governor's associates registered a number of companies for the sole purpose of acquiring tenders from Migori County.

The companies are: Misoft limited, Dankey Press Limited, Atinus Services Limited, Tarchdog Printers Limited, Mactebac Contractors, Selectrack Consultants, Joyush Business Limited, Swyfcon Engineering, Dolphus Software Limited, Kajulu Business Limited, Pesulus Suppliers Limited and Victorious Investment Limited.

Upon being awarded the tenders, the companies allegedly wired the funds to accounts registered in Obado's name.

EACC also claims that the governor used Ksh.38.9 million to pay school fees for his children and acquire luxury cars.  The vehicles were registered under Dan Achola Okoth and Oliver Odhiambo.

The remaining Ksh.34 million, EACC says was used to acquire the residential unit in Loresho.