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Kenyan photographer Jacktone Odhiambo has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for murdering his housemate, LGBTQ+ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto, popularly known as Edwin Chiloba, almost two years ago.
Judge Reuben Nyakundi said the decades-long sentence was based on the “diabolical manner” of the murder.
Chiloba, a 25-year-old fashion designer, He died of asphyxiation and his body was thrown into a metal box. on the roadside in Eldoret.
The murder shocked the LGBTQ+ community in Kenya.
Judge Nyakundi said Odhiambo, 25, showed no remorse for the murder.
However, after the sentence was read, Odhiambo caused a stir in the courtroom by falling and crying.
“I have considered all the factors and have found that Odhiambo was a vengeful person who committed the murder of his close friend,” the judge said.
Chiloba and Odhiambo had been housemates who lived near the University of Eldoret, where Chiloba was studying. There were some reports that the two men were in a relationship.
The prosecution, led by Mark Mugun, told the court that Odhiambo squandered the activist’s money after killing him.
The prosecution also presented evidence from 23 witnesses, including DNA evidence linking Odhiambo to the crime scene.
Chiloba’s body was found with socks stuffed in his mouth and a piece of denim tied around his face.
The autopsy indicated that he had died from asphyxiation, caused by suffocation.
Evidence also showed that the suspect had sexually assaulted Chiloba before taking his own life.
There had been speculation that this was a case of murder of an intimate partner, but the court did not reach any conclusion on the motive for the murder.
