Obado behind bars again as police now launch gun probe

For Migori Governor Okoth Obado, when it rains, it does, indeed, pour.

Recently released on bail following his detention in remand over the death of his pregnant girlfriend, and at a time when he is warding off claims that he facilitated theft of close to Sh2 billion in Migori, he spent the night in police custody after detectives found eight guns in his home while looking for evidence of corruption on Tuesday.

REASONS

The ownership of five of the guns has so far been established, but police are wondering why Mr Obado, who is licensed to carry one gun, had three pistols, in addition to the bodyguards assigned to him.

It was not clear Wednesday evening whether the pistols — two Ceskas and a Browning — were approved by the Firearms Licensing Board. The law demands valid reasons why a licensed owner needs more than one firearm.

BALLISTIC

Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti said the governor was being questioned concerning the number of firearms found in his homes.

“We want to establish who from the board validated the acquisition of the three firearms and what were the reasons or threats the governor gave,” Mr Kinoti said.

Apart from scrutinising the validity of the governor’s firearm documents, detectives will subject them to ballistic examinations to trace the history of use.

CERTIFIED

“We will also trace all the ammunition that has been discharged from these firearms, because under the law, every spent bullet, whether for self-defence or otherwise, must be reported to the nearest police station,” he said.

The DCI noted that some firearms and ammunition, though legally possessed and acquired, are misused and hired out to criminals.

The law permits licensed civilians to own only a pistol or a shotgun, but is silent on how many guns one can possess while certified.

INTIMIDATING

However, under Section 5 of the Firearms Act, a gun ownership certificate is supposed to specify the conditions under which it is held, the nature and number of firearms to which it relates, and on ammunition, the quantities authorised to be bought and held at any one time.

Mr Kinoti opined that owning more than one gun when one has bodyguards could only be for intimidating others. “It is outrageous.”

WEAPON

The law prohibits a licensed civilian from owning a weapon classified as a specified firearm — a family to which an AK 47, a G3, an MP5 and such other similar firearms as may be specified by the government — belong.

The governor, who earlier in the day attended Deputy President William Ruto’s forum on the Big Four Agenda at Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, left the conference room around 1.30pm only to be later spotted at the Special Crimes Prevention Unit in Upper Hill in the company of plainclothes police officers.

CHARGES

Officers from the unit later, at 4.05pm, escorted Mr Obado to the DCI office. His daughter and his lawyer, Mr Cliff Ombeta, later joined him.

The lawyer accused the police of holding Mr Obado on flimsy grounds since seven of the guns found in his Lavington and Migori homes belonged to his security detail. “I’m yet to get the full nature of the charges against him,” Mr Ombeta said.

PLANTED

"Five of the guns found in Mr Obado’s Nairobi home were legally owned by his security detail, and that two guns found in his rural home belonged to security there," Mr Ombeta said.

"The third gun cannot be accounted for, and may have been planted there to frame him," the lawyer said.

PROXIES

“The governor was in Nairobi in relation to Sharon Otieno’s case,” Mr Ombeta said, in reference to the university student Mr Obado is accused of killing. “There’s no way he would monitor what goes on in his rural home.”

He claimed that his client’s tribulations may be politically instigated or due to the overzealousness of officials who want to be seen to be delivering on their duties.

RANSACKING

In Migori, detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) continued ransacking Mr Obado’s homes and offices. Sources said the detectives were looking for more documents that could help in their investigations into alleged misappropriation of Sh2 billion in Migori County.

At Mr Obado’s rural home in Rapogi, more documents and electronics were seized.

AFFIDAVIT

The county boss is accused of using proxies, including relatives, to siphon Sh2 billion from public coffers, according to an affidavit filed in court by the EACC.

Workers at the home claimed the EACC team broke some doors in a bid to gain access to some rooms. “The detectives have left a trail of losses here,” a worker said.

Journalists were not allowed into the homestead to ascertain the claims. “There are orders from above not to allow any journalist here,” the worker said.

DOCUMENTS

EACC Spokesman Yasin Amaro told Nation they had found vital documents that will add to the bulk of evidence lined up against the governor.

“We waited for him to be released from Industrial Area Remand Prison to raid his homes and office,” he said, adding, they could not have done so in his absence. They had found more procurement-related receipts and documents.

Reported by Jacqueline Kubania, Elisha Otieno, Stella Cherono and Ruth Mbula