Governor Obado hospitalised

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

Mr Obado had complained of a stomachache for the better part of the morning before he was taken to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

Sources at the hospital said he got there at about 10.30am.

“His private doctor and a prison doctor 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 also being held at the Industrial Area prison, was treated at KNH for a similar ailment.

The two were remanded in connection with the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno. Two other suspects are also in custody.

Sharon was seven months pregnant when she was killed and her body dumped in a forest last month. The suspects pleaded not guilty to murder charges.

It was not immediately clear what caused Obado and Oyamo stomach pain. It was also not clear if there were other remandees who experienced similar issues.

This came as the Prisons department denied claims that Obado was being given preferential treatment.

Migori County Governor Okoth Obado (left) and Casper Obiero at the Milimani Law Courts on 27/9/18-[Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

Prisons Commissioner General Isaiah Osugo said the governor was being treated like any other inmate awaiting trial. He said Obado was procedurally given a prison number and “placed in a cell block for capital offenders”.

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

“During production in court, Honourable Obado, like other awaiting inmates, is allowed to wear his own clothes,” Mr Osugo added.