Edwin Chiloba’s Alleged Lover Found Guilty of Killing Him

Eldoret High Court has found a freelance photographer guilty of the high-profile murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo, alias Chiloba.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Nyakundi on Wednesday, comes nearly a year after the shocking murder, which sparked global condemnation.

The court found the accused guilty of intentionally causing Chiloba’s death, meeting all the requisite elements of murder under Section 203 of the Penal Code. 

The prosecution, led by Mark Mugun, presented evidence from 23 witnesses, including DNA profiles that linked the suspect to the crime.

Autopsy results revealed Chiloba died from asphyxiation, with investigators uncovering his body stuffed in a metal trunk on January 4, 2023, along a roadside in Eldoret.

Five people were arrested in connection with the murder of Chiloba. Among the suspects was the now-convicted freelance photographer and reported close friend/partner of Chiloba.

Key evidence included DNA extracted from Chiloba’s body and personal items, showing a mixture of his blood and the suspect’s. Testimony from the Government Chemist further solidified the link, detailing the genetic analysis of materials recovered at the crime scene.

The ruling marks a win for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a case that has generated interest across the world. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 16, 2024.

The case drew international criticism from the international community, with countries like the United States of America offering to help probe the murder. 

While it remains unclear whether this international pressure bears any links to the speedy resolution of the case, the case was solved barely a year after it began. This is a rare occurrence, with murder cases ordinarily taking several years.

Chiloba’s death brought into sharp focus the country’s laws stifling the LGBTQ community. President William Ruto criticised a decision by the Supreme Court to allow an LGBTQ rights organisation. The decision came barely two months after the death of Chiloba.

At the time, Ruto said the government respects the Supreme Court’s 3-2 decision ruling but that “our culture and religion does not allow same-sex marriages.”

“It is not possible for our country, Kenya, to allow same-sex marriages….… It will happen in other countries but not in Kenya,” he added.