Court adjourns plea bargain in Obado’s Sh505m corruption case
Obado is facing trial alongside his four children and 11 other individuals. They are accused of embezzling public funds while he was governor of Migori County.
The Sh505 million corruption case facing former Migori Governor Okoth Obado is edging towards an out-of-court resolution after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) entered into a plea bargain.
However, the matter was adjourned after the court was informed that not all parties had signed the agreement.
Trial magistrate Charles Ondieki directed that the case be mentioned on September 5 for further directions. The court was told, "Some parties who were not signatories to the said agreement need time to do so, so that the matter can be marked as settled."
Obado is facing trial alongside his four children and 11 other individuals. They are accused of embezzling public funds while he was governor of Migori County. The case, which was set to be withdrawn if the agreement had been finalised, has been in court since 2018.
In July, the EACC and ODPP asked the court for a one-month adjournment to allow the conclusion of ongoing plea bargain talks. The court was informed that negotiations had reached an advanced stage, but more time was required to finalise the terms.
The case revolves around allegations that Obado and his co-accused siphoned about Sh505 million of county funds through irregular procurement and fraudulent transactions. The charges include abuse of office, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit economic crimes.
Prosecutors allege that companies linked to Obado’s associates were paid for fictitious goods and services, leading to massive losses for Migori County. Investigations by the EACC, which began in 2018, uncovered financial irregularities that formed the basis of the charges.
Obado, who governed Migori from 2013 to 2022, has denied wrongdoing and insists the charges are politically motivated.
