• Magistrate rules that Obado will not be able to access his offices until the case is heard and determined.
• Obado and his children ordered to pay Sh17.7 million bail to secure their release
Migori Governor Okoth Obado is the fourth county boss to be barred from accessing his office pending hearing and determination of a graft case.
Obado was charged on Thursday last week alongside his four children and six others for allegedly defrauding Migori county of Sh73.5 million.
Other governors who have been barred from accessing their offices include Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal, Mike Sonko (Nairobi) and former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.
Delivering the bail ruling on Monday, chief magistrate Lawrence Mugambi said he barred Obado from accessing office to minimise interference with prosecution witnesses.
Even though the three governors were barred from their offices, their bail terms were different depending on the value of the money allegedly stolen.
Each court determines bail terms on its own merit and Mugambi ruled that even in this case, where there are 11 accused, he would grant bail depending on the different counts that each of them are facing.
Mugambi ruled that locking Obado out of office was an appropriate condition to avoid interference with witnesses by the suspect.
He also dismissed grounds by prosecution to deny him bail that the accused burnt down Migori offices during their investigations.
Mugambi ruled that none of the accused persons has been pointed out by the prosecution or connected to the fire incident in Migori county, adding that using this as a ground to deny them bail will be unfair.
The prosecution had also argued that Obado has a pending murder case at the High Court and should be denied bail. However, the court said Obado’s liberty must be upheld and each case must be considered on its own merit.
Mugambi released them all on different bail terms pending the hearing and determination of their case.
Obado was to pay a total of Sh17.7 million for himself and four of his children to secure their release.
Their lawyers had argued that the governor’s children were all in school and had no source of income but the court said they had not produced any birth certificate or school documents as evidence to support the argument.
Obado was ordered to pay Sh8.75 million bail, his children Dan Okoth Sh2 million, Scarlet Okoth Sh3 million, Jerry OKoth Sh2 million and Evelyne Okoth Sh2 million.
The sixth accused, Jared Odoyo was granted Sh8.25 million and his mother Peninah Auma was granted Sh2 million bail.
Mugambi directed investigations officer to escort Obado to his county office in Migori to pick personal belongings. He will not be allowed to access the offices until the case is concluded.