Obado’s long day with detectives in Kisumu

Detectives from Homicide, believed to be collecting DNA samples enter Regional CID offices based in Kisumu where Migori governor Okoth Obado was being grilled on September 11,2018. Obado is a person of interest in a case touching on the death of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno. [Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard]

Police yesterday whisked away Migori Governor Okoth Obado from the Nyanza Regional Police headquarters after eight hours of questioning.

It was not clear whether the county chief was under arrest or had presented himself to the investigators to clear his name over the murder of university student Sharon Otieno.

Regional DCI boss Michael Barasa —whose office was used for the questioning — declined to comment on the matter.

Mr Obado’s lawyers Cliff Ombeta and Rodgers Sagana maintained that the governor was not under arrest, but had responded to summons by the area DCI to give his side of the story on the ongoing investigation.

DCI George Kinoti later said Obado was released on condition that he would cooperate with investigators. 

“He has been released. He was escorted from the station for his own safety,” he said.

“We have been given a P52 form to indicate that he has been released and will report later,” said Mr Ombeta.

“We were part of the entire interview and we can confirm that the governor has given details of what he knows on the matter. We ask that we remain patient and let the people given the mandate to handle the matter do their job,” he added.

Obado was ushered into the grilling room at 10am by detectives from Nairobi, accompanied by his lawyers.

Efforts by journalists to speak to the governor failed despite assurances by the Migori County director of communication, Nicholas Anyuor, that Obado would address the press after the process.

Throughout the grilling, the station was heavily guarded, with police keeping at bay the public who had gathered to try to follow what was going on. Even journalists were kept at bay. A handful of county staffs spent the day at the station.

At around 4pm, two people believed to be DNA experts joined the interrogation team. They were wearing white dust coats and carried a cooler box.

By 5.30pm, one of the detectives — said to be from the Homicide Division at the DCI headquarters — gathered journalists at a corner of the compound, saying he was preparing the ground for Obado to address a press conference.

But 30 minutes later, the governor was whisked away by police through a rear door.