Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his four children and seven others yesterday pleaded afresh to charges of defrauding the county government of Sh505.6 million.

Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, Obado and his co-accused denied 26 new charges after the prosecution amended the charge sheet to include some amounts and two more companies as accused persons in the matter.

Even though the two companies are not associated with Obado, they had to plead afresh to the charge sheet because it had been amended to include them and the new amounts.

Obado pleaded to the charges alongside his children Dan Okoth, Scarlet Okoth, Jerry Okoth, Evelyne Okoth, his alleged close associate Jared Kwaga, Joram Opala and Patroba Ochanda.

The new charges range from conspiracy to commit economic crimes, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property and money laundering.

The prosecution claims the accused persons used six companies to obtain Sh505.6 million through corruption.

According to the prosecution, they engaged in a complex scheme of money laundering where the companies were awarded contracts and got payments worth millions of shillings that were wired back to the governor through his children who were studying abroad.

It is alleged that between October 29, 2014 and October 18, 2016 within Migori County, the accused conspired to commit an economic crime which was unlawful acquisition of Sh73.4 million from the county government.

Obado alone has denied seven counts of conflict of interest that being governor, he knowingly acquired an indirect private interest where his children received millions of shillings in respect of an agreement between the county and their companies.