Migori Speaker Boaz Okoth released on Sh50, 000 cash bail
Migori County Assembly Speaker Boaz Okoth is taken away by police following his arrest on February 2, 2022 after he allegedly broke into the Finance office and attempted to take away some files.
Migori Assembly Speaker Boaz Okoth was Wednesday released on a Sh50,000 cash bail after spending the entire day recording statements at the county Director of Criminal Investigations offices.
Migori County Police Commander Mark Wanjala said Mr Okoth cited ill health and holding him in police custody would worsen his condition.
Mr Wanjala said Mr Okoth and his seven accomplices, who are still in custody, will face charges ranging from theft and malicious damage of Migori County Assembly property.
Mr Okoth was arrested alongside seven youths after breaking into the assembly's finance offices and carting away several files and computers.
The dramatic arrest that lasted over three hours saw Mr Okoth lock himself in his office.
Journalists and onlookers were not allowed into the assembly’s precincts as detectives effortlessly tried to arrest Mr Okoth and his accomplices.
He was later convinced to open the office before they were arrested.
Police later said the Speaker, who was accompanied by seven youths, stormed the assembly premises at 3:00am and broke into the chief finance office where they carted away several and computers before security manning the assembly alerted the authorities.
“They were carting away several files when police were alerted. He [Mr Okoth] then locked himself in his office after detectives were called to the scene,” the police boss noted.
Following the arrest, several MCAs allied to the Speaker thronged the DCI offices in solidarity with the embattled speaker after word went round that he had been held captive at his office.
An MCA, who sought anonymity owing to sensitivity of the matter, attributed the arrest to a move by the embattled speaker to interfere with the evidence in his ongoing corruption case.
“I suspect that he [Mr Okoth] was out to cart away vital documents in his ongoing [graft] case to interfere with evidence. Why would he storm the assembly at such an odd hour when the House is in recess,” posed the MCA.
Mr Okoth has been implicated in several corruption cases like misappropriation of assembly funds.
In December 2020, Mr Okoth, his deputy Mathews Chacha and nine other assembly staff were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit corruption,
The Speaker, board chairman, Deputy Speaker, board members and supply chain officers respectively were accused of conspiring to misappropriate Sh10 million from Migori County Assembly between May 23, 2019 and July 15, 2019.
They were also charged with wilful failure to comply with the laws relating to management of public funds. The case is ongoing.
