Court Allows EACC to Seize Obado Property in Deal 

The High Court granted Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) authority to seize and sell by public auction eight prime properties and two high end motor vehicles belonging to former Migori Governor, his children and associates, being proceeds of corruption and unexplained wealth stolen from Migori County Government. 

In the consent judgement delivered in the civil forfeiture case by Justice Esther Maina on Tuesday, the High Court adopted an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) settlement reached by the parties.

The consent judgement does not affect the ongoing criminal case against the former Governor and his children, whose cumulative direct benefit from the fraudulent scheme was to the tune Sh73 million.

Among the properties to be sized by EACC in the Sh235 million forfeiture is a residential home worth Sh40 million linked to Obado in Loresho, Nairobi.

The others are a commercial block in Suna East worth Sh88 million, a five storey residential block in the same area valued at Sh57.6 million, two apartments at Greenspan in Nairobi each valued at Sh9 million, a residential property in Kamagambo valued at Sh10 million, two single storey property in Suna East valued at Sh7.5 million and a maisonette at Greenspan valued at Sh14 million.

The others are two Land Cruisers.

Justice Maina marked the suit as settled after EACC informed the court that they had settled the matter out of court.

The court at the same time allowed the withdrawal of another suit involving Sh73 million which the agency sought to forfeit over suspicion that it’s proceeds of crime.

At the time of filing the case, EACC said they established that Obado abused his office and allegedly amassed assets valued at ah 73.4 million.

The monies they said were acquired with proceeds of contracts with the county government of Migori.

The proceeds were allegedly traced to Obado from the county through some 13 companies.

EACC said Sh38 million was wired to some of his children for their university tuition fees and upkeep and a portion of it used to purchase two luxury vehicles.

Another sum of Sh34 million was traced to Kenya’s power pension fund for the purchase of a property known as Loresho Ridge House number C1 whose rent accrues to one Evelyne Adhiambo Zacharia.