The anti-corruption court has set aside 20 days beginning May next year for marathon hearings of the Sh73 million graft case against former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and his children.
Obado was in 2020 charged alongside 10 co-accused persons including his children Dan Okoth, Scarlet Okoth, Jerry Okoth and Evelyne Okoth.
Others are Jared Peter Odoyo Kwaga and his relatives including his 73-year-old mother Peninah Auma, his wife Christine Akinyi, his sister-in-law Carolyne Anyango and his brothers Patroba Ochanda and Joram Opala.
Together, they are facing 27 counts in the corruption and economic crimes charges although 22 of the counts relate to Obado alone.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has alleged that the suspects inflated tender and contract prices to defraud the county government of Migori.
First prosecution witness Robert Ronoh who is also the investigating officer in the case has been testifying since January 2021 and is yet to conclude his testimony.
The prosecution says the hearing has been slow owing to the bulky nature of the documents and language hitches given Kwaga’s mother does not understand English or Kiswahili and thus requires translation into Dholuo to follow proceedings.
The prosecution has lined up 59 witnesses. That means the other 58 are yet to testify. Principal magistrate Charles Ondieki, who has since taken over the hearing of the matter, on Thursday directed that parties agree on 20 days to be set aside for hearing of the matter so that it can be concluded.
He said the matter may drag in courts for years if days are not set aside for hearing. In the end, the parties settled on four days from May 19 to 22 for the first four days of the marathon hearings with another four days the following week from May 26 to 29 next year.
After the eight days in May, marathon hearings will proceed from July 1 to 3, 2025 and continue for another four days between July 7 and July 10, 2025.
The 20 days of the hearings will end with witnesses testifying between September 1 and September 4 before further directions are issued.
“Any issues that may arise in between should be raised with the court in good time,” Ondieki said.
The magistrate becomes the third judicial officer to hear the Obado graft case after Lawrence Mugambi and chief magistrate Victor Wakumile.
Ondieki took over the matter from Wakumile who was transferred from the division. Wakumile had taken over the matter from then chief magistrate Lawrence Mugambi upon his promotion to become judge of the High Court in 2022.
In his testimony so far, Ronoh has
majorly focused on disclosing how
Obado and his co-accused persons
hatched and executed the alleged
fraud.
