Former Migori Governor Okoth Obado has forfeited assets worth Ksh235 million after entering into a plea bargain agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In a statement released on Friday, September 5, the DPP confirmed the recovery of the multi-million-shilling assets, consequently dropping the case against the former county boss.
The agreement followed a formal request by Obado to resolve the matter through an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, in a case where he and 17 others were accused of misappropriating Ksh73.4 million.
As part of the arrangement, Obado agreed to forfeit assets equivalent to three times the amount in question. The former county governor surrendered eight parcels of land and two Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, with a combined estimated value of Ksh235.6 million.
The properties handed over to the State included:
•Loresho Ridge House – Ksh40 million
•Sunrise Centre Commercial Block, Suna East – Ksh88 million
•Two five-storey residential blocks with 40 units, Suna East – Ksh57.6 million
•Two apartments in Greenspan, Nairobi, worth Ksh18 million
•A mansionette house in Greenspan, Nairobi, worth Ksh14.5 million
•Residential Property, Kamagambo – Ksh10 million
•Two single-storey residential blocks with eight one-bedroom units, Suna East – Ksh7.7 million
Obado and his co-accused were first charged in 2021 with 25 counts, including conspiracy to commit an economic crime, conflict of interest, money laundering, and unlawful acquisition of public property.
The charges stemmed from transactions linked to the alleged embezzlement of public funds from the County Government of Migori between 2013 and 2017.
The former governor and his co-accused were first apprehended in August 2020 after the ODPP accused them of using 13 companies to siphon money from the Migori County government.
Among those nabbed and facing charges are four of the governor's children, believed to have received payments from companies that traded with the County Government of Migori between 2013 and 2017.
On Monday, DPP Renson Ingonga revealed that his office had entered negotiations with Obado, with the intention of entering a plea bargain agreement. He further disclosed that he directed the prosecution team to engage the EACC and defence lawyers in consultations.
Fast forward to today, the DPP informed that a consensus to settle the matter through a plea bargain was reached after three meetings were held.
This was despite rumours suggesting that EACC had not agreed to any deal, prompting speculation on whether the agreement has full backing from all investigating agencies.
Initially, the EACC had sought to recover over Ksh1.9 billion from Obado and more than 20 other individuals accused of siphoning funds from the Migori County government through fictitious procurement contracts.
