The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has refuted claims by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna that former Migori Governor Okoth Obado’s graft case was withdrawn after an out-of-court settlement with the State agency.
Sifuna, during a Wednesday Senate session, had expressed shock that “a plea bargain had been entered between the ODPP and the Governor who had stolen billions of shillings who then agreed to return Ksh.300 million and the case was subsequently withdrawn."
The ODPP, in a statement released on Wednesday, rubbished Sifuna’s utterances saying the case against the ex-Migori Governor was still in process and was set for hearing later this month.
The ODPP clarified that the cases that were withdrawn against Obado and 15 co-accused persons were the Asset Recovery Civil cases filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
“The ODPP has noted reports alleging it entered a plea-bargain agreement with the accused persons and after settlement, withdrew the charges against the accused persons. Do note the cases that have been withdrawn are the Asset Recovery Civil cases filed by EACC,” the ODPP stated.
“The Criminal Case (No. ACC.E018 of 2020) involving the accused persons being prosecuted by the ODPP has not been withdrawn and is scheduled for further hearing on July 8 and 9 2024, before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court No.2.”
This comes after the court last month announced that it had closed a Ksh.1.9 billion asset case against Obado, his children and others.
The court was told that Obado and EACC settled the matter out of court with a Ksh.235 million agreement.
The High Court had earlier allowed the commission to seize assets worth Ksh.235 million believed to have been fraudulently acquired through proceeds of corruption, which included his residential houses and three high-end cars.