The roommate of a prominent gay activist in Kenya was convicted on Wednesday of murdering him, almost two years after the brutal killing shocked the East African nation and instilled fear within its gay community.
The activist, Edwin Chiloba, was found dead and concealed in a metal box by the roadside in Uasin Gishu County in January 2023, prompting international activists and rights groups to call for better protection of Kenya's L.G.B.T.Q. community.
A high court judge stated that Jackton Odhiambo, a 25-year-old freelance photographer and roommate of Chiloba, had planned the murder. The two were last seen together walking up the stairs to their shared apartment after a night out. Witnesses reported hearing cries from the apartment, which eventually ceased.
DNA evidence indicated that Odhiambo had engaged in sexual intercourse with Chiloba before his death, according to Justice Reuben Nyambati Nyakundi of the Eldoret High Court. However, the investigation did not uncover the motive for the killing.
“I went for an expedition, and I could not find what could have been the motive of causing the death of your dear friend,” Justice Nyakundi remarked.
Odhiambo’s sentencing is set for December 16. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge when initially arraigned in court.
Chiloba was recognized in Kenya as a model, emerging fashion designer, and a vocal advocate for civil rights for gay individuals. His murder shocked a country where consensual gay sex is criminalized and punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The judge noted that the intimate relationship between Odhiambo and Chiloba was described as “a sexual act against nature according to our laws.”
From the beginning, police did not classify Chiloba’s murder as a case of domestic violence or a homophobic hate crime.
Following the discovery of his body, a government pathologist reported that Chiloba had died from suffocation, with socks stuffed in his mouth and a piece of denim wrapped around his mouth and nose.
When residents and a caretaker reported a foul odor emanating from the apartment, Odhiambo attributed it to the sewer, as stated by Justice Nyakundi. Subsequently, as Odhiambo attempted to dispose of the body, he used Chiloba’s mobile phone to conduct transactions, including the purchase of the metal box, the judge added.
“You had such hatred, you had such ill will, you had such revenge and vengeance toward your trusted friend that you made sure that his killing would shake Uasin Gishu County and that his killing would shake the entire world,” Justice Nyakundi expressed.
The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of Kenya welcomed Odhiambo’s conviction, calling it a significant step toward justice for Chiloba’s family and friends.
“This verdict marks a long-awaited moment of accountability, offering a glimmer of justice for Edwin and a reminder that no act of violence against LGBTIQ+ residents of Kenya will go unchallenged or unchecked,” the organization stated in a release.