• 20km radius restriction has hampered governor's movement
• Obado says chartering a plane costly
Image: COLLINS KWEYU
The High Court today will rule whether it will review orders barring Migori Governor Okoth Obado from his palatial Rapogi home.
His home is beyond the 20km radius within which he is restricted. These were among the strict bond terms issued by the court last year.
Obado is facing charges of murdering his lover Sharon Otieno and her unborn child, which he admits he fathered. He denies the charges. She lived beyond the 20-mile radius.
The governor, through lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, yesterday told the court the 20km radius restriction stops him from going to his home and bars him from serving Migori residents.
Migori comprises eight constituencies. Most of the five constituencies border Homa Bay. Obado told the court it has become impracticable for him to discharge his mandate as the governor.
“As governor, my work involves travelling and shuttling mostly between Nairobi and Migori town where my official residence and office are situated. But the 20km restriction bars me from doing so,” the court heard.
Kilukumi told Justice Jessie Lessit the only mode of travelling to Nairobi from Migori, without coming within the prohibited 20km distance or incurring heavy costs of chartering a flight, is by road through Trans Mara.
He said that route takes six hours longer than the preferred Kisii-Suneka-Rongo road which falls within the restricted distance.
“The Trans mara road has very rough terrain, making the journey extremely uncomfortable and torturous,” he said
He urged the court to review the restriction to ensure he can serve his constituents.
Obado told the court he no longer wishes to have his travel documents released. He said at the time of his application, there was a conference in Israel that required his presence but that ha been overtaken by events.
The state did not oppose Obado’s application to vary the 20 km radius. It only had an issue with his travel documents being released.
But since Obado abandoned the request, the state said it will not pursue it.
Last year Obado was charged alongside Migori clerk Caspal Obiero and s aide Michael Oyamo over Sharon's murder.
She had been abducted in early September last year together with Nation journalist Barack Oduor. She was found dead in Kodera Forest.
Obadowas freed on Sh5 million bail after more than a month in custody.
Justice Lessit restrained him from going anywhere within 20km of Homa Bay county, where Sharon lived.