Governor Okoth Obado hospitalised at KNH

Migori Governor Okoth Obado was Wednesday rushed to hospital after he fell sick at the Industrial Area Remand and Allocation Prison.

Obado had complained of stomach ache for the better part of the morning before he was taken to the Kenyatta National Hospital.

This was after the prisons facility doctor who had observed him gave an ok for his movement to the KNH.

Sources at the hospital said he was taken to the facility at about 10.30 am.

“His private doctor and that of the prison had seen him and recommended further checks at KNH,” said a source who asked not to be named.

This came a day after his personal assistant Michael Oyamo who is being held at the same facility was also attended to at the hospital on Tuesday over similar complaints.

The two are being detained in prison over the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno. They are among four suspects in custody over the brutal murder of Sharon on September 3.

She was seven months pregnant when she was killed and her body dumped in a forest. The suspects have denied charges of murder.

It is not clear what had occasioned the said stomach complications for both Obado and Oyamo. It is also not clear if there were other remandees who had experienced similar issues.

This came as the prisons department denied claims that Obado is being accorded preferential treatment at the facility.

No sacred cow

Prisons Commissioner General Isaiah Osugo said Obado is being treated like any other inmate awaiting trial.

He said Obado has not been given any preferential treatment in terms of accommodation, clothing, feeding and visits, which are all regulated in accordance to Prisons and Regulations.

He said Obado, like other suspects, is only allowed to put on home clothes while appearing in court. The prisons reactions came following claims of preferential treatment on the governor.

Osugo said Obado was procedurally given a prison number and “placed in a cell Block for capital offenders.

“We wish to state categorically that Hon. Obado has not been given any preferential treatment in terms of accommodation, clothing, feeding and visits which are all regulated in accordance to Prisons and Regulations,” said Mr. Osugo.

The prisons boss further said Obado, like other suspects, is only allowed to put on home clothes while appearing in court.