Kenyan photographer Jacktone Odhiambo has received a 50-year prison sentence for murdering his housemate, LGBTQ+ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto, known as Edwin Chiloba. The murder occurred nearly two years ago. Judge Reuben Nyakundi described it as a “diabolical” crime due to its brutality.
Chiloba, 25, died from being smothered. Authorities found his body in a metal box by the roadside in Eldoret.The court sentenced Odhiambo for the premeditated killing on December 16, 2024.
Justice Nyakundi classified the case as aggravated homicide, noting that Odhiambo planned and executed the crime with cruelty. He observed that Odhiambo showed no remorse. The judge considered the death penalty but chose a 50-year sentence since the death penalty is not enforced in Kenya.
Authorities discovered Chiloba’s body on January 4, 2023, in a trunk along a path in Eldoret. An autopsy confirmed asphyxiation as the cause of death. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence from 23 witnesses and DNA linking Odhiambo to the crime.
Odhiambo quickly became the main suspect. Witnesses reported seeing him with the trunk containing Chiloba’s body. DNA evidence confirmed his involvement. The case attracted attention both locally and internationally, with many labeling it a hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community.
Odhiambo and Chiloba had lived together near the University of Eldoret, where Chiloba was also a student. Some reports suggested they might have been in a relationship. After the murder, Odhiambo reportedly spent Chiloba’s money. Further evidence showed that Chiloba had been sexually assaulted before his death.
Though speculation suggested the murder might involve an intimate partner dispute, the court did not confirm the motive. The case sparked controversy in a country where same-sex relationships and marriages remain illegal.
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