A Kenyan court has found Jacktone Odhiambo guilty of murdering LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo, also known as Chiloba, nearly two years after his death shocked the nation and its LGBTQ community.
Kiptoo, a model and designer, was discovered dead in a metal box in Eldoret in early January 2023. Authorities accused Odhiambo, his housemate and alleged partner, of committing the crime between Dec. 31, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution confirmed the ruling via X (formerly Twitter). Odhiambo’s lawyer, Sammy Mathai, stated, “My client has been found guilty of murder. We return to court on Dec. 16 for sentencing.”
Judge Reuben Nyakundi of Eldoret High Court ruled that the prosecution’s evidence established Odhiambo’s guilt, according to The Star newspaper.
Odhiambo had denied the charges during his February 2023 arraignment.
Homosexuality remains a deeply taboo subject in Kenya, where same-sex relations carry a prison sentence of up to 14 years, although enforcement is rare.
