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| Migori Governor Okoth Obado at the Kibera Law Courts on November 16, 2018, when he was released on bond in the case in which items including eight guns were found at his homes in a raid by the EACC. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP |
Migori Governor Okoth Obado is among public figures who hogged the headlines in 2018.
From spending a month in Industrial Area Remand Prison over the murder of his girlfriend Sharon Otieno to his political rival Ochillo Ayacko winning the senator race, Mr Obado saw it all.
MURDER CHARGE
The governor was in October released on bail after he was charged with the murder of his girlfriend Ms Otieno, one of the most publicised murder cases in 2018.
In September, Ms Otieno, a student at Rongo University, was abducted alongside Nation journalist Barack Oduor, who escaped narrowly by jumping from the abductors’ speeding vehicle.
Days later, the lifeless body of Ms Otieno was found dumped in K’odera Forest in Homa Bay County. Ms Otieno was said to have been seven months pregnant.
What followed was an eleborate criminal investigation that saw Mr Obado and his two aides, Mr Caspal Obiero and Michael Oyamo, arrested as they emerged key suspects in the murder.
BAIL
Mr Obado was, however, granted bail on October 24 by High Court judge Jessie Lessit.
The bail came with stringent conditions among them being barred from moving 20km close to Migori/Homa Bay border and reporting to the deputy registrar once in a month.
He was also to refrain from discussing Ms Otieno in any political gatherings.
His case will be up for pre-trial conference on February 14 and its hearing will be held between May 6-17.
EACC PROBE
Besides the murder case, Mr Obado is also being investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) for alleged embezzlement of Sh 2.5 billion.
The governor is accused of using proxies to siphon the money from Migori coffers.
Over 23 companies believed to be owned by his relatives, family members and cronies are being investigated. In the wake of the graft investigations, a number of accounts linked to his wife Hellen Odie and key businessmen in the county were frozen.
Mr Obado’s woes deepened in November when EACC detectives raided his office and homes in Migori and Nairobi and confiscated, among other things, eight firearms, several bank statements and electronics.
He would then be accused of possessing illegal firearms and arrested. He spent another two days in custody before he was granted bail.
Mr Obado is likely to remain in the limelight this year due to Ms Otieno’s murder case and his opposition to referendum calls.