—The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has begun the process of auctioning 10 high-value properties seized from four suspects, including associates of former Migori governor Okoth Obado, in a bid to recover Sh505 million allegedly misappropriated from public funds.
When the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) rolled out plans to auction off multimillion-shilling homes, apartments, and commercial blocks belonging to allies of former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, it sent a clear message: proceeds of corruption would no longer be left untouched.
The seizures are part of an effort to recover Sh505 million allegedly looted from Migori County between 2013 and 2017, in what investigators say was a sophisticated procurement racket.
The Anatomy of the Graft
Court filings reveal that during Obado’s first term, companies linked to his associates received inflated or fictitious contracts. Investigators traced the siphoned funds into high-value property developments across Nairobi, Kisumu, and Migori.
Rather than drag the matter through years of litigation, EACC invoked provisions of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act to force forfeiture. The assets were branded proceeds of crime, and court-approved auctions were sanctioned.
The Seized Properties
1. Jared Kwaga – The Biggest Loser
A maisonette and two two-bedroom apartments in Greenspan Estate, Nairobi (Savannah Road).
Residential houses in Suna East/Wasweta, Migori.
A storeyed office block known as Sunrise Centre along the Migori–Kisii road, complete with two detached commercial buildings.
A townhouse at Loresho Ridge, Mountain View Estate, Nairobi (Town House No. C-1).
Two identical residential blocks in Migori, each with 10 apartments.
2. Joram Otieno
A 0.119-acre plot in Suna East/Wasweta, along the Migori–Isebania highway.
Developed with two identical blocks of one-bedroom rental units plus site works.
3. Caroline Obwa
A three-bedroom apartment in Riara, Nairobi.
A parcel of land in Kisumu municipality (Lolwe Estate), developed with a four-storey block of flats.
She was previously entangled in a separate Sh318 million recovery suit linked to the Nairobi County treasury.
4. Otago Ojuki
A mixed-use property in Kamagambo, Rongo township.
Includes a three-bedroom bungalow, a block of three semi-detached two-bedroom rental units, and a block of two semi-detached units.
Auctioneers Galaxy, Keysian, and Astorion have been contracted to dispose of the properties, with proceeds promised for healthcare, education, and other public development needs.
Obado’s Political Shadow
Though the properties are in the names of his associates, EACC maintains that Obado was the political enabler of the corruption network. His office allegedly guaranteed preferential treatment for the companies at the heart of the fraudulent tenders.
This scandal is not Obado’s first brush with the law. It adds to a pattern of allegations: graft cases, unexplained wealth, and settlements involving multimillion-shilling forfeitures.
The Sharon Otieno Murder Case
The corruption seizures cannot be separated from the larger shadow over Obado’s career — the 2018 murder of Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old Rongo University student who was seven months pregnant when she was abducted and killed.
Paternity and Relationship: DNA confirmed that Obado was the father of Sharon’s unborn child. He admitted to a relationship and responsibility for her upkeep but denied any involvement in her death.
Prosecution Case: Investigators allege that Sharon was targeted due to tensions over the pregnancy. Obado’s aide Michael Oyamo and county clerk Casper Obiero are co-accused. Witnesses testified that Sharon and a journalist were abducted after a meeting in Rongo.
Forensic Evidence: Autopsies revealed multiple stab wounds on Sharon and her unborn baby. Phone records and call logs tied suspects to her last moments.
Court Proceedings: While the unborn baby’s murder charge was dropped, Obado, Oyamo, and Obiero still face trial for Sharon’s killing. The High Court has ruled they have a case to answer.
For many Kenyans, the Sharon Otieno murder represents the darkest chapter of Obado’s tenure, merging the personal and political into a tale of power, betrayal, and violence.
A Pattern of Abuse
Taken together, the asset seizures and murder trial illustrate a pattern:
Public funds looted through cronies.
Personal scandals bleeding into governance.
Courtroom drama defined by settlements, plea bargains, and drawn-out trials.
Migori County — one of Kenya’s most resource-starved regions — became synonymous with corruption and tragedy under Obado’s watch.
The EACC auctions may return a fraction of what was lost, but residents remain skeptical whether the recovered funds will directly benefit Migori. Meanwhile, the Sharon Otieno trial continues to unfold in Nairobi, ensuring that Obado’s name remains tied to both economic crimes and one of Kenya’s most shocking murders.
Together, these cases form a damning legacy: a governor whose reign was marked not by development, but by scandal, seized estates, and a lingering murder trial that refuses to fade from Kenya’s conscience.
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