Okoth Obado Distances Self From Children's Involvement in KSh 73 Million Graft Case

Migori Governor Okoth Obado has distanced himself from his children's involvement in the alleged swindling of county government funds. 

Obado's children were accused of fraudulently obtaining money amounting to KSh 73 million belonging to the Migori County Government. 

Appearing before the Milimani Law Courts, the county boss distanced himself from the scandal terming the allegations the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) as rumours. 

"If any monies were embezzled, fraudulently and illegally obtained from the county government of Migori as alleged, then I was not involved and had no knowledge of such schemes 

"I neither took part nor benefitted from any such schemes or arrangements and I put EACC to strict proof to prove otherwise," Obado said. 

Obado also states that he should not be asked how his children acquired the contentious properties registered under their names. 

"I am not responsible for the acts or omissions of my grown-up children well past the majority age. It is ludicrous for EACC to heap responsibility on me for things allegedly done by other adult persons, where the only nexus is parenthood," he stated. 

Obado and his children were in August 2020 after surrendering in EACC officers in Kisii over alleged embezzlement of over KSh 73 million public funds. 

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji said that upon perusal of the file from EACC, he discovered that the governor received the aforementioned amount indirectly through his children from companies trading with the Migori County Government between the financial years 2013/ 2014 and 2016/ 2017. 

The money trail from the companies revealed that KSh 38 million was wired to accounts held by Obado’s children, namely; Achola Dan Okoth, Susan Scarlet Okoth and Jerry Zachary Okoth. 

The money, added the DPP, was used to pay the children’s school fees, upkeep, maintenance and medical bills in Australia, Scotland and United Kingdom. 

Some were also traced to have bought two motor vehicles of make, Toyota Land Cruiser V8.  

The trail further disclosed that KSh 34 million was used to purchase a house in Loresho Ridge whose beneficial owner is Evelyne Adhiambo Zachary, the governor’s other daughter.