Obado, children on long trip to face graft case

Robert Ochoro and Zadock Angira

Since his election as Migori Governor in 2013, Zachary Okoth Obado has metamorphosed from an ordinary Kenyan politician into a flamboyant individual whose lifestyle has become the epitome of modern luxury.

 The governor and his family members have not been afraid to flaunt it, even as Obado himself has continued to court controversy after another.

 Like any other Kenyan politician, and in particular governors, Obado has not been left behind in the craze for an expensive taste in the choice of his shelter and an opulent lifestyle.

 From a king-fit Sh200 million-plus mansion strategically perched on a hill at Rapogi in Uriri constituency to top of the range cars at his disposal and high-end textile and apparels, Obado has obviously been at the top of his game, not only in Nyanza region but across the entire country.

Stress-free

 Save for a brief period in September 2018 when Obado’s home and offices were raided by detectives investigating the murder of university student Sharon Otieno, the governor’s family has had a stress-free life, a life many families in the country would only dream of.

 But yesterday, the proverbial 40 days of a thief seemed to have dawned on Obado and four of his children as they found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

 For a man used to either flying first class or being driven in top of the range vehicles to Nairobi, Obado found himself in a new different world as he was bundled into an ordinary police car and driven to Nairobi, hours after he had surrendered to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives in Kisii town.

 Security was tight at the EACC offices in Kisii as Obado and his four children-sons Dan Okoth and Jerry Okoth and daughters Susan Scarlet and Adhiambo Evelyn were arrested, briefly interrogated before being bundled into police cars for the 313km journey to Nairobi.

 Obado was bundled into a Subaru outback Station Wagon, where he was sandwiched between two mean-looking and heavily armed police officers attached to the EACC on the backseat without the usual luxury of enjoying a seat alone in a spacious car.

His children were bundled into a van, ordinarily used by adventurous tourists on a mission to sample the tough lifestyles in rugged terrains in the neglected countryside.

“They are all under arrest and will face charges in Nairobi,” EACC spokesman Yassin Amaro told the People Daily by telephone.

Perhaps anticipating a sad ending for Obado and family, lawyer Joseph Oduor, who is representing, Dan, one of Obado’s sons, said only the court would have the final say on the matter.

 “This is a public investigation that will only be determined after all parties will have been heard,” Oduor told journalists in Kisii.

Past precedents

 Obado and his four children were arrested when they presented themselves to EACC officers in Kisii town following an indictment by the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Tuesday evening over the embezzlement of over Sh73 million public funds.

Haji, in a press statement, said EACC, had established that the governor received a total of Sh73,474,376.90 indirectly through his children from companies trading with the Migori County government between the financial years 2013/ 2014 and 2016/ 2017.

EACC said the money ended up in the accounts of the family and was used to purchase cars and high end properties, including a palatial home in the upmarket Loresho in Nairobi.

The money trail as from the companies revealed that Sh38,949,376.90 was  allegedly wired to accounts held by the governor’s children.

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 while some was also traced to the purchase of two Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles.

The trail further disclosed that Sh34,525,000 was used to purchase the Loresho mansion whose beneficial owner is Evelyne, the governor’s daughter.

These companies are Misoft Company Limited, Tarchdog Printers, De1track ICT services, Seletrack Consultants, Mactebac Contractors and Joyush Business.

Others are Swyfcon Engineering, Atinus Services, Kajulu business, Victorious investment, Dolphus Softwares, Dankey Press and Pesulus Services.

According to Haji, the proprietors of these companies were proxies of the governor, including three brothers:  Jared Peter Kwaga, Patroba Ochanda and Joram Opala; and their mother Penina Auma Otago, Kwaga’s spouse identified as Christine Akinyi and his sister-in-law Carolyne Onyango.

Detectives who accompanied the suspects in the five and half hours journey, said Obado was calm and composed throughout.

“He was friendly and calm. He engaged us in a chat over how he grew up in the village, looking after his father’s cattle bare feet,” said one of the detectives.

Upon arrival in Nairobi, they were driven straight to Integrity Centre where they were further interrogated and their fingerprints taken, ahead of being charged in court this morning.

They arrived at the Integrity Centre shortly after 5pm. After he alighted, Obado waved to the journalists and attempted to remove his mask to address them but he was whisked away.

 Unconfirmed reports indicated that Obado would spend his night in the cells at Integrity Centre while his children were to be locked up at the Kileleshwa Police Station.

A statement from the EACC said the suspects will appear in court today to be charged with conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, conflict of interest, money laundering, and unlawful acquisition of public property.

The EACC said 10 suspects yesterday morning presented themselves to the EACC South Nyanza Regional Offices in Kisii at 8am.

They included Obado, his two sons, two daughters, the county pharmaceutical technologist Patroba Ochanda Otieno and Kwaga, a supplier among others.

If the past precedents imposed on his other colleagues Mike Sonko (Nairobi), Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu) and immediate former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu are to be applied on him, Obado could be barred from executing his official duties and stepping into his office.