This archive report was first published on 15 October 2021.
Published on October 15, 2021, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has accused Migori Governor Okoth Obado of looting Sh2.6 billion from the county government coffers during his first term in office.
The allegations emerged during a graft case facing the governor, his four children, and 11 associates before the Anti-Corruption Court.
According to the Commission's investigator, Robert Ronoh, the EACC received a complaint in 2017 regarding the misappropriation of funds amounting to Sh2.6 billion paid to 23 companies.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged the county boss with embezzlement of Sh73.4 million, a significantly lower amount than the Sh2.6 billion alleged by the EACC.
During his testimony, Ronoh stated that the Commission received information from its intelligence department about misappropriation of public money at Migori county government, where companies associated with Obado family members were awarded tenders worth Sh2.6 billion between 2013-2014 and 2016-2017.
The investigating officer claimed that the 23 companies of interest were registered a few months after the 2013 General Election, when Obado was elected as governor.
Ronoh also stated that seven of the companies are associated with businessman Jared Peter Kwaga, an associate of governor Obado, and that the governor and his proxies benefitted from Sh2.6 million from 23 trading companies which were awarded various tenders by the county government of Migori.
