Jackton Odhiambo, the main suspect in the tragic murder of LGBTQ+ activist Edwin "Chiloba" Kiprotich Kiptoo, has been convicted by the Eldoret High Court.
The court ruled that Odhiambo committed the crime on December 31, 2022, in Kimumu, near Eldoret. He is set to be sentenced on December 16, 2024.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Reuben Nyakundi noted that evidence showed Odhiambo was the last person seen with Chiloba. The two were spotted together at a Langas entertainment joint on the night of the incident, leaving together shortly before the murder.
The court further revealed that investigative reports confirmed Odhiambo had sexually assaulted Chiloba before taking his life. Chiloba’s body was later found on January 3, 2023, stuffed in a metallic box abandoned along the Kipkenyo-Katinga road in Eldoret. Witnesses reported seeing the box discarded by unidentified individuals in a speeding vehicle.
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Authorities suspect the murder occurred in an apartment in Chepkolel, Moiben, where Chiloba and Odhiambo lived together as partners. Initially, five suspects were arrested in connection with the killing, but four were later released, leaving Odhiambo to face murder charges alone.
Odhiambo pleaded not guilty during the trial but withdrew his bail application. The court’s decision marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for Chiloba, a vibrant LGBTQ+ rights advocate whose death sparked widespread outrage.
